Drivers of Knowledge Management Innovations in the Healthcare Sector

There is a solid consensus in the need to improve innovation in healthcare organizations. Despite the fact that there has been significant improvement in healthcare companies, inefficiency still exists and little accomplished in understanding how to overcome those inefficiencies using innovation. Present research focuses on organizational innovations closely related to knowledge management. According to Oslo Manual, organizational innovations may involve the implementation of significant changes in practices for knowledge management. More precisely we analyze organizational innovations' objectives and adoption. Analysis is based on a sample of 240 Spanish healthcare businesses. Measures of organizational innovations and objectives of innovation are based on Oslo Manual. Statistical tests find a dynamic behavior in healthcare organizations, since 40.8% have developed an organizational innovation in 2007-2009 period. Main objectives pursued are related to improve knowledge sharing and innovation skills. Results also reveal a narrow relationship between organizational and product/process innovations. Specifically, healthcare companies developing new organizational methods to improve innovation skills and knowledge sharing are more successful in product and process innovation.