Maturity Model for Knowledge Management and Strategic Benefits

Establishing the value of knowledge management is one of the most difficult tasks for enterprises. The main objective of this theoretical paper is to propose a knowledge management maturity model that relates knowledge management with strategic benefits in terms of absorptive capacity, innovation and organizational performance. The knowledge management maturity model developed in this study is based on an analysis of eight knowledge management maturity models previously published in scientific journals. The analysis considered the number of levels, the key factors, how the model is applied and the association of knowledge management with strategic benefits. The proposed model consists of five levels and four key factors, namely, internal environment (top management support, information technology), content (tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge), process (creation/storage and sharing), and external environment (customers, partners and suppliers). The levels are defined as follows: Level 1 - the enterprise does not recognize the value of knowledge; Level 2 - the enterprise recognizes the value of knowledge; Level 3 - the enterprise introduces knowledge management; Level 4 - the enterprise evaluates and improves knowledge management internally; Level 5 - the enterprise develops knowledge networking, internally and externally. The proposed model also considers the relationship between the key factors in the KM maturity model and absorptive capacity, innovation and organizational performance. In future research, a survey will be conducted to test the relationships between the key factors themselves and between the key factors and the strategic benefits (absorptive capacity, innovation and organizational performance). The hypotheses are: the support of top management influences tacit and explicit knowledge; information technology influences tacit and explicit knowledge; tacit knowledge influences explicit knowledge; the customers, partners and suppliers influence tacit knowledge; tacit and explicit knowledge influence knowledge sharing, creation/storage; knowledge creation influences innovation; knowledge sharing influences absorptive capacity; absorptive capacity influences innovation; and innovation influences organizational performance. The results of this model could provide: 1) an evaluation of the company as well as comparisons between companies in relation to knowledge management, and 2) an evaluation of the strategic benefits of knowledge management.