Developing Equation Models of Knowledge Management Enablers Framework: A Case of Small and Medium Enterprises in Fars Province, Iran

This study primarily aims to develop structural equation models of knowledge management enablers framework in small and medium enterprises. The study was conducted as an empirical experiment to provide a structural equation model of the factors affecting knowledge management enablers. To this end, following an extensivereview of the literature on knowledge management in general and knowledge management enablers in particular, a number of 300 company managers were selectedas the participants from among a select population of 1151 individuals. The data wascollected from the available documents, by conducting interviews and administering aquestionnaire to the participants. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated tobe 0.90. The study adopted a non-experimental method and a survey design. In this regard, a structural equation model was developed to explain the factors affectingknowledge management enablers using correlational tests of statistics, both direct and indirect correlations among variables and interactive regression equations in the form of path analysis. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and Lisrel software.The results revealed that the seven variables derived from the four components of knowledge management enablers – culture (collaboration, trust, and learning),organizational structure (formalization and centralization), employees and informationtechnology support – confirmed the accuracy of the developed structural equationmodel. All the variables, except for information technology support, influencedknowledge management enablers at variable intensities both directly and indirectly or interactively. Based on the coefficients of the structural equation model, the subscalesof collaboration and trust exerted the most significant direct effect on knowledge management enablers while other variables including collaboration, employees, learning and the subscales of organizational structure component assumed less importance in this regard. The paper ends with discussion and comparison, conclusion, applicable managerial implications and recommendations for future studies.

کلیدواژه ها:

model ، structural equation ، knowledge management enablers ، small and medium enterprises