Title: Organisational knowledge and industry dynamism: an empirical analysis

Authors: Ely Laureano Paiva, Claudio Reis Goncalo

Addresses: Vale do Rio dos Sinos University (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950, Sao Leopoldo, RS 93022–000, Brazil. ' Vale do Rio dos Sinos University (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950, Sao Leopoldo, RS 93022–000, Brazil

Abstract: This study investigates how organisational knowledge in the manufacturing process is related to industry dynamism. Our major objective is to compare different levels of information source utilisation and organisational knowledge within different environmental dynamisms. We investigated four industry sectors in Brazil: food, electronics, transport equipment and machinery. Internal organisational knowledge appears as a determinant aspect under more dynamic environmental conditions. It suggests that higher levels of environmental dynamism require higher levels of organisational knowledge. The results suggest that knowledge integration in more dynamic industries depends on how the companies access environment information and use it in their internal manufacturing processes.

Keywords: organisational knowledge; knowledge integration; capability; industry dynamism; survey; manufacturing processes; Brazil: food industry; electronics industry; transport industry; equipment industry; machinery industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2008.015948

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.66 - 80

Published online: 02 Dec 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article