Information Systems Review (경영정보학연구)

The Korea Society of Management Information Systems (한국경영정보학회)
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Assessing the Effects of Knowledge Management Strategies on Firms' Performance: Based on Complementarity Theory

지식경영전략이 기업성과에 미치는 영향 분석: 상호보완이론을 기반으로

  • 최병구 (국민대학교 경영대학 경영정보학부) ;
  • 이재남 (고려대학교 경영대학)
  • Received : 2010.02.17
  • Accepted : 2010.03.20
  • Published : 2010.04.30
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Abstract

Knowledge management strategy is considered a key determinant of successful knowledge management. However, theoretical and empirical researchers disagree on how knowledge management strategies improve firms' performance. The inconsistent results of prior studies may be attributed to the fact that complementary relationships among knowledge management strategies have not been adequately taken into consideration. While the previous literature has focused on investigating the impact of knowledge sourcing strategies on firms' performance one-at-a-time, in reality firms adopt several different knowledge management strategies together. By drawing on complementarity theory, this study revisits this research problem and develops three complementarity hypotheses. Surveys collected from 139 firms in Korea were analyzed to test the hypotheses by using super modularity function. The results confirmed complementary relationships between system- and person-oriented, and between internal- and external-oriented knowledge management strategies. Our results found no complementarity among the four different knowledge management strategies. This study sheds new light on knowledge management research by developing a new conceptual framework and using advanced analytical approaches to explore the relationship between knowledge management strategies and firms' performance. Implications for practice highlight that a successful knowledge management strategy requires a judicious combination of system- and person-oriented, or of internal- and external-oriented knowledge management strategies.

지식경영 전략과 기업성과 간의 실증연구는 연구자에 따라 그 결과가 매우 다르게 나타나고 있다. 이러한 연구결과의 불일치는 실제 비지니스 환경하에서 대다수의 기업은 다양한 지식경영 전략들을 동시에 활용하고 있음에도 불구하고 대다수의 기존의 연구는 개별 지식경영 전략과 기업성과간의 관계에만 초점을 두고 있었기 때문이다. 본 연구는 이와 같은 문제점을 해결하기 위해 경제학이론 가운데 하나인 상호보완이론(complementarity theory)을 기반으로 지식경영 전략들 간의 상호보완관계를 파악하고 이러한 상호보완관계가 기업성과에 미치는 영향을 전체적인 관점(holistic perspective)으로 분석하고자 한다. 이를 위해, 기존 연구를 바탕으로 지식경영 전략을 도출하였으며 국내 139개의 대기업을 기반으로 실증연구를 수행하였으며 이를 통해 지식경영 전략 간의 상호보완관계가 기업성과에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 학문적 측면에서 보면 본 연구는 경제학으로부터 새로운 이론과 분석방법론을 도입함으로써 기존 연구의 한계를 극복할 수 있는 새로운 연구 프레임웍과 방법론을 제시하였으며 이를 통해 지식경영 연구의 지평을 넓힐 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 실무적 관점에서 보면 기업성과를 향상시킬 수 있는 다양한 지식경영 전략들 간의 상호보완관계를 제시함으로써 경영자에게 효과적인 지식경영 전략을 구축할 수 있는 가이드라인의 역할을 할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국학술진흥재단

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