An Empirical Study Of Organizational Characteristics, Knowledge Management Activities, And Knowledge Management Performance

This study investigated empirical relationships among organizational characteristics, knowledge management activities, and knowledge management performance. To achieve the purpose, this study designed a model and generated four hypotheses about relationships among the strategy, structure and culture of organizations, the creation and sharing of knowledge, and the human and structural capital. In order to test the model and the hypotheses, this study collected data from 1,034 individuals in 107 Korean companies through a questionnaire survey and performed a series of covariance structure analyses utilizing the AMOS statistical program. As results, the research model was fitted and three hypotheses were accepted. In detail, hypertext organizational structure and knowledge-friendly organizational culture had a significantly positive influence on knowledge creation and sharing. Knowledge-based organizational structure, however, did not affect significantly knowledge creation and sharing. This study, therefore, explored the possibility of an independent role of organizational strategy and a mediating role of organizational structure and culture. To test such possibility, the study designed and analyzed a revised model. The analyses resulted in the higher fitness of the model and the acceptance of all related hypotheses underlying the model. Thus the model may provide a framework for future research.