Collaborative knowledge management practices : Theoretical development and empirical analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a framework analyzing the relationship of collaborative knowledge management practices (CKMP) with supply chain integration and supply chain knowledge quality. Design/methodology/approach – The design of the study is based on a survey of 411 firms from eight manufacturing industries that are actively involved in inter‐firm knowledge management practices with supply chain partners. First a measurement instrument for CKMP was statistically validated with confirmatory factor analysis. Then the structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis was used to assess the structural relationship of CKMP with supply chain knowledge quality and supply chain integration. Findings – The study found that engagement in CKMP can lead to better integration between supply chain partners and increased organizational knowledge quality. Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted at the firm level for activities involving inter‐firm knowledge sharing. Some measurement inaccuracy might be generated with a single respondent from each organization answering questions about both supply chain management issues and knowledge management‐related issues. Practical implications – By identifying collaborative knowledge generation, storage, access, dissemination and application as the major components of CKMP, this study advises organizations on how to collaborate with partner firms on sharing supply chain knowledge. CKMP's positive relationship with knowledge quality and supply chain integration provides organizations with practice‐related motivation for engaging in collaborative knowledge management and alerts them to the possibility of other potential benefits from it. Originality/value – As one of the first large‐scale empirical efforts to systematically investigate collaborative knowledge management processes in a supply chain management context, this paper can be used as basis for enhanced homological understanding of this domain, by exploring antecedents and consequences of collaborative knowledge management.