The impact of knowledge management processes on supply chain performance : An empirical study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge management (KM) processes and supply chain performance, with information technology/information system (IT/IS) support, supply chain integration, and supply chain strategy as moderators. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the knowledge-based view, a theoretical framework is developed consisting of six KM processes: knowledge creation, knowledge capture, knowledge organization, knowledge storage, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge application, and the performance of supply chain is evaluated in terms of four Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) process elements: Plan, Source, Make, and Delivery. Structural equation modeling is employed using a sample of 78 Iranian manufacturers in mechanical and engineering industry. Findings – Empirical results show that KM processes have a significant impact on supply chain performance which is positively moderated by IT/IS support and supply chain integration. While the moderating effect of IT/IS support is found to be considerably stronger, the relationship between KM processes and supply chain performance is not significantly different in lean and agile supply chains. Research limitations/implications – Since the sample for this study is small and drawn only from manufacturing companies in mechanical and engineering industry, it would be important to conduct further empirical studies with larger samples from a wider range of industries to improve and strengthen our analyses and provide more conclusive and generalizable results. Originality/value – Through empirical study, a better understanding of the impact of KM processes on supply chain performance and the moderating role of IT/IS support and supply chain integration can be gained.