The Relationship Between Knowledge Management Practices And Innovation Level In Organizations: Case Study Of Sub-Companies Of Selected Corporations In The City Of Esfahan

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge management practices and innovation levels in organizations.  Through a questionnaire, required data were gathered in sub-companies of three corporations in the city of Esfahan. Seventy-four questionnaires were given to top and middle managers of these companies and 36 were returned (49.65% response rate). Correlation analysis was used to check the relationship between the variables.  The researchers found a strong, positive and significant relationship between knowledge management practices and innovation levels in these companies.  The result is related to a small number of companies in Esfahan. It is not easy to generalize the result of the current study to other contexts.  Knowledge management is one of the hottest issues among academicians, but it is still difficult to justify managers about its importance in organizations. This study tries to provide some empirical evidence in order to support the role of knowledge management in enhancing innovation.  There is not sufficient empirical evidence to prove the role of knowledge management practices in the search of innovation.