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Does professional knowledge management improve innovation performance at the firm level?

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  • Czarnitzki, Dirk
  • Wastyn, Annelies

Abstract

The concept of knowledge has gained in interest since industrialized economics have induced a shift in importance from labor, capital and natural resources towards intellectual resources. This study investigates how the management of knowledge influences the innovation performance of a firm. While former studies mainly focused on knowledge management cycles, we distinguish different types of knowledge management techniques. It turns out that there is a difference between three knowledge management techniques and their influence on product and process innovation. The ability to source external knowledge positively affects the firm's introduction of new products and products new to the market. For obtaining cost reductions it is effective to stimulate employees to share knowledge. The availability of a codified knowledge management policy also positively affects the cost reduction possibilities of a firm. These results indicate that it is important for a firm to carefully select the tools of knowledge management in function of the kind of technical innovation it wants to proceed.

Suggested Citation

  • Czarnitzki, Dirk & Wastyn, Annelies, 2009. "Does professional knowledge management improve innovation performance at the firm level?," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-067, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:09067
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    Cited by:

    1. Rammer, Christian, 2022. "Measuring process innovation output: Results from firm-level panel data," ZEW Discussion Papers 22-002, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    2. Cantner, Uwe & Joel, Kristin & Schmidt, Tobias, 2011. "The effects of knowledge management on innovative success – An empirical analysis of German firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 1453-1462.
    3. Casanueva, Cristóbal & Castro, Ignacio & Galán, José L., 2013. "Informational networks and innovation in mature industrial clusters," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(5), pages 603-613.
    4. Jenny Meyer, 2010. "Does Social Software Support Service Innovation?," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 289-311.
    5. Yu-Hsien Lin & Yu-Shan Chen, 2017. "Determinants of green competitive advantage: the roles of green knowledge sharing, green dynamic capabilities, and green service innovation," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1663-1685, July.
    6. Giovanni Mangiarotti & Anne-Laure Mention, 2015. "Investigating Firm-Level Effects Of Knowledge Management Strategies On Innovation Performance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(01), pages 1-24.
    7. Kai Zhuge & Weiwei Lin & Yongzhi Yuan & Huitao He & Yong Zhang, 2023. "Does Digital Capability Promote Sustainable Development of New Ventures? The Dual Impact of Green Knowledge Creation and Green Pressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    8. Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Measuring process innovation output in firms: Cost reduction versus quality improvement," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    9. Haiyun Yu & Yanjie Shang & Nan Wang & Zhenzhong Ma, 2019. "The Mediating Effect of Decision Quality on Knowledge Management and Firm Performance for Chinese Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-15, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Knowledge management; innovation performance;

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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