Knowledge diffusion: A classification of modern knowledge management's role within the innovation process

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to deliver new perspectives on and an improvement of innovation management by critically analyzing the role of knowledge management within the innovation process. This is accompanied by an assessment of organizational learning and the innovation diffusion theory that will lead to a better understanding of the distribution of innovation-related knowledge within today's organizations to benefit the innovative capacity. Design/methodology/approach - We propose a mixed methods approach that includes a review of the literature to gather qualitative insights on the theories used in this research and a quantitative study that has been conducted in Saxony, Germany in 2015. The data of this study has been collected and used jointly for several innovation- and knowledge management related research projects that are linked. The Methodology of Theory Building enhances the research design of this paper by delivering a strong theoretical basis for the development of the conceptual model of knowledge diffusion within the innovation process that is proposed in this paper. Originality/value - The adoption of innovation diffusion theory for knowledge and innovation management and the process of distributing and sharing knowledge within organizations as a basis for creative ideas constitute a fundamentally new approach to the topic that has not been part of the academic debate yet. It enhances the understanding of innovation processes within today's organizations and how they are permeated by knowledge. Practical implications - The outcomes of this research project include a new approach to understand corporate innovation processes and especially how they emerge and how knowledge flows within organizations' work to support the innovation process. The conceptual model developed in course of this paper shows where diffusion processes within the innovation process take place and provides information on how to support or improve such processes and therefore today's companies' innovative capacity.