Knowledge Management Enablers, Knowledge Creation Process and Innovation Performance: An Empirical Study in Tunisian Information and Communication Technologies Sector

Abstract

In today’s complex and dynamic environment, survival and competitiveness of companies are based on their capacity to continuously create and use new knowledge. In this perspective, this paper focuses on the enabling factors that boost Knowledge Creation Process (KCP) within organizations. On the basis of previous studies, this research examines the most important factors that have been recognized to be critical for KCP: collaboration, trust, learning, incentives and rewards, decentralized and low formalized structure, T-shaped skills and information technology (IT) support and transformational leadership. The purpose of this paper is also to examine the relationship between KCP and innovation performance. Conceptually, we develop a research model highlighting the relationship between all these variables. This model was tested using structural equation modeling within Tunisian ICT sector. Based on a survey of 202 companies, results reveal that the best path for Tunisian ICT companies to foster knowledge creation is through incentives and rewards, collaboration, trust, learning, decentralized and low formalized structure and IT support. Findings show also that KCP significantly affects firms’ innovation performance.