Investigating the Relationship Between Organizational Culture, Knowledge Management, and Innovation Capability and Their Impact on the Enhancement of Technical Knowledge in After-Sales Service Companies in the Iranian Automotive Industry

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student, Technology Management, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author). Email: sia.mohamadi.mng@iauctb.ac.ir

2 Faculty Member, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In the era of technological innovations and intensifying organizational competition, companies must enhance their knowledge-based and innovative capacities to ensure survival and growth. Organizational culture and knowledge management serve as two fundamental factors that play a crucial role in creating competitive advantage. This study examines the relationship between organizational culture components, knowledge management, and innovation capability in after-sales service companies within Iran's automotive industry. The research employs a descriptive-correlational methodology with a quantitative approach. Data was collected through researcher-developed and standardized questionnaires from 182 employees. Instrument validity was verified through content and convergent validity, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) at acceptable levels. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS software was used for data analysis. The findings demonstrate that knowledge management has a significant positive impact on innovation capability. Furthermore, organizational culture indirectly enhances innovative capacities by mediating through improved knowledge management processes. Notably, a collaborative culture based on mutual trust and continuous learning, supported by innovative and transformational leadership styles, can effectively develop technical knowledge and enhance innovation capabilities in information technology and automotive after-sales services. Additionally, the results confirm that supportive and participative leadership styles play a key role in boosting innovation capacity by strengthening organizational culture and facilitating knowledge management processes. These leadership approaches foster a dynamic, collaborative, and knowledge-driven organizational environment where cross-functional knowledge creation, sharing, and utilization occur effectively. In such an environment, innovation emerges not merely as an output of individual creativity.

Keywords

References

  • فهرست منابع

    • علامه، سید محسن؛ عباسی رستمی، نجیبه؛ صفری شاد، فرانک (1394). بررسی تأثیر هوش اجتماعی و هوش هیجانی بر سبک رهبری مدیران، مجله مدیریت توسعه و تحول 63،22-70.
    • رضازاده فشخامی و همکاران (1395). بررسی نقش سبک‌های رهبری بر عملکرد سازمانی با توجه به نوآوری مدیران. چهارمین کنفرانس بین‌المللی پژوهش‌های نوین در مدیریت، اقتصاد و حسابداری، تهران.
    • پورکریمی و همکاران (1392). نقش رهبری تحول‌آفرین مدیران دانشگاهی در توانمندی اعضای هیئت‌علمی دانشگاه‌ها (مورد: دانشگاه تهران)، مدیریت، 2(3).
    • دارائی، محمدرضا؛ پارساعمل، الهه (1392). بررسی تأثیر فرهنگ سازمانی بر مسئولیت اجتماعی در شرکت خودروسازی سایپا. دورة 5، شمارة 4.
    • حسینی و همکاران (1394). بررسی نقش فرهنگ سازمانی در موفقیت استقرار نظام‌های اطلاعات مدیریت در صنایع خودروسازی. نشریه علمی پژوهشی مدیریت فردا، 13(54).
    • زرگر و همکاران (1397). نقش فرهنگ در پذیرش فناوری‌های اطلاعات و ارتباطات در ایران، مطالعات فرهنگ و ارتباطات، 19(44).
    • زاهدی، علی؛ دالمن‌پور، محمد؛ عظیم زاده فیروزی، فرناز؛ محبی، علی (1395). بررسی و امکان‌سنجی پیاده‌سازی یک الگو کاربردی مدیریت دانش (مورد کاوی شرکت خودروسازی)، سال دهم، شماره 1.
    • کشتکار، مهران (1399). الگو مفهومی رابطه بین نوآوری اجتماعی و مدیریت دانش با رویکرد فراترکیب، فصلنامه علمی مطالعات بین‌رشته‌ای دانش راهبردی، 10(39).
    • محمدپور و همکاران (1400). شناسایی، ارزیابی و تحلیل موانع و چالش‌های توسعه نوآوری در صنایع ایران (مورد مطالعه: صنایع قطعه‌سازی، ماشین‌سازی و خودروسازی تبریز)، فصلنامه مدیریت‌راهبردی در نظام‌های صنعتی مدیریت‌راهبردی در نظام‌های صنعتی، 16(56).
    • تقوایی یزدی، مریم (1400). رابطه مدیریت دانش با تعالی سازمانی و نوآوری سازمانی در مدیران مدارس، فصلنامه مطالعات مدیریت و رهبری در سازمان‌های آموزشی، سال اول.

    References

    • Ahn, J. M., Roijakkers, N., Fini, R., & Mortara, L. (2019). Leveraging open innovation to improve society: Past achievements and future trajectories. R&D Management, 49, 267–278.
    • Aldulaimi, S. (2015). Exploring the effect of organizational culture, leadership and strategy on organizational effectiveness with mediating effect of knowledge management. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management (UK), 3, 1–19.
    • Al-Mamoori, A. G. R., & Ahmad, Z. A. (2015). Linking organizational structure, technological support and process innovation: The mediating role of knowledge sharing in the Iraqi textile industry. SHS Web of Conferences, 18, 01007.
    • Barham, H., Dabic, M., Daim, T., & Shifrer, D. (2020). The role of management support for the implementation of open innovation practices in firms. Technology in Society, 63, 1–8.
    • Bogers, M., Chesbrough, H., & Moedas, C. (2018). Open innovation: Research, practices, and policies. California Management Review, 60, 5–16.
    • Buble, M. (2012). Interdependence of organizational culture and leadership styles in large firms. Management, 17, 85–97.
    • Bui, Q., Leo, E., & Adelakun, O. (2019). Exploring complexity and contradiction in information technology outsourcing: A set-theoretical approach. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28, 101573.
    • Cadorin, E., Johansson, S. G., & Klofsten, M. (2017). Future developments for science parks: Attracting and developing talent. Industry and Higher Education, 31, 156–167.
    • Chan, K. Y. A., Oerlemans, L. A. G., & Pretorius, M. W. (2011). Innovation outcomes of South African new technology-based firms: A contribution to the debate on the performance of science park firms. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 14, 361–378.
    • Chen, C., & Huang, Y. (2012). Modern industrial zone landscape establishment of industrial behavior orientation. Advanced Materials Research, 518, 5877–5881.
    • Chen, C., Huang, J., & Hsiao, Y. (2010). Knowledge management and innovativeness: The role of organizational climate and structure. International Journal of Manpower, 31, 848–870.
    • Duan, Q. (2017). A study of the influence of learning organization on organizational creativity and organizational communication in high tech technology. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13, 1817–1830.
    • Green, W., & Cluley, R. (2014). The field of radical innovation: Making sense of organizational cultures and radical innovation. Industrial Marketing Management, 43, 1343–1350.
    • Gunsel, A., Siachou, E., & Acar, A. Z. (2011). Knowledge management and learning capability to enhance organizational innovativeness. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 24, 880–888.
    • Hair, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed, a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19, 139–152.
    • Hair, J. F., Black, W., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. (2014). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
    • Hair, J. F., Black, W., Babin, B., & Anderson, R. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective. Pearson Prentice Hall.
    • Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31, 2–24.
    • Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2012). Using partial least squares path modeling in advertising research: Basic concepts and recent issues. In E. Elgar (Ed.), Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Hofstede, G. J. (2015). Culture’s causes: The next challenge. Cross Cultural Management, 22, 545–569.
    • Ibarra, D., Bigdeli, A. Z., Igartua, J. I., & Ganzarain, J. (2020). Business model innovation in established SMEs: A configurational approach. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6, 76.
    • Jean, R. B., Kim, D., Chiou, J., & Calantone, R. (2018). Strategic orientations, joint learning, and innovation generation in international customer-supplier relationships. International Business Review, 27, 838–851.
    • Kafashpoor, A., Shakoori, N., & Sadeghian, S. (2013). Linking organizational culture, structure, leadership style, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Advances in Research in Economics and Management Sciences, 10, 158–172.
    • Kargas, A. D., & Varoutas, D. (2015). On the relation between organizational culture and leadership: An empirical analysis. Cogent Business & Management, 2, 1–18.
    • Li, T., Ma, L., Liu, Z., & Liang, K. (2020). Economic granularity interval in decision tree algorithm standardization from an open innovation perspective: Towards a platform for sustainable matching. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6, 149.
    • Liao, C., Chuang, S. H., & To, P. L. (2011). How knowledge management mediates the relationship between environment and organizational structure. Journal of Business Research, 64, 728–736.
    • Liao, H., Liu, X., & Wang, C. (2012). Knowledge spillovers, absorptive capacity and total factor productivity in China’s manufacturing firms. International Review of Applied Economics, 26, 533–547.
    • Liao, S. H., & Wu, C. C. (2010). System perspective of knowledge management, organizational learning, and organizational innovation. Expert Systems with Applications, 37, 1096–1103.
    • Liao, S., Chang, W. J., Hu, D. C., & Yueh, Y. L. (2012). Relationships among organizational culture, knowledge acquisition, organizational learning, and organizational innovation in Taiwan’s banking and insurance industries. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23, 52–70.
    • Lin, W. T., & Liu, Y. (2012). Successor characteristics, organisational slack, and change in the degree of firm internationalisation. International Business Review, 21, 89–101.
    • Ma, L., Li, T., Wu, J., & Yan, D. (2018). The impact of E-Hailing competition on the urban taxi ecosystem and governance strategy from a rent-seeking perspective: The China E-Hailing platform. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10, 3213.
    • Nijssen, E. J., Hillebrand, B., De Jong, J. P. J., & Kemp, R. G. M. (2012). Strategic value assessment and explorative learning opportunities with customers. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 29, 91–102.
    • Remneland Wikhamn, B. (2020). Open innovation change agents in large firms: How open innovation is enacted in paradoxical settings. R&D Management, 50, 198–211.
    • Salunke, S., Weerawardena, J., & McColl-Kennedy, J. R. (2019). The central role of knowledge integration capability in service innovation-based competitive strategy. Industrial Marketing Management, 76, 144–156.
    • Schneckenberg, D. (2014). Strategic incentive systems for open innovation. Journal of Applied Business Research, 30, 65–72.
    • Strese, S., Meuer, M. W., Flatten, T. C., & Brettel, M. (2016). Organizational antecedents of cross-functional coopetition: The impact of leadership and organizational structure on cross-functional coopetition. Industrial Marketing Management, 53, 42–55.
    • Yun, J. H. J., Zhao, X., Jung, K. H., & Yigitcanlar, T. (2020). The culture for open innovation dynamics. Sustainability, 12, 5076.
    • Yun, J. H. J., Zhao, X., Yigitcanlar, T., Lee, D. S., & Ahn, H. J. (2018). Architectural design and open innovation symbiosis: Insights from research campuses, manufacturing systems, and innovation districts. Sustainability, 10, 4495.
    • Yun, J. J., Kim, D., & Yan, M.-R. (2020). Open innovation engineering—Preliminary study on new entrance of technology to market. Electronics, 9, 791.
    • Yun, J. J., Lee, M., Park, K., & Zhao, X. (2019). Open innovation and serial entrepreneurs. Sustainability, 11, 5055.
    • Yun, J. J., Won, D., & Park, K. (2018). Entrepreneurial cyclical dynamics of open innovation. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 28, 1151–1174.
    • Yun, J. J., Zhao, X., Park, K. B., & Shi, L. (2020). Sustainability condition of open innovation: Dynamic growth of Alibaba from SME to large enterprise. Sustainability, 12, 4379.
    • Yun, J. J., Zhao, X., Wu, J., Yi, J. C., Park, K., & Jung, W. (2020). Business model, open innovation, and sustainability in car sharing industry—Comparing three economies. Sustainability, 12, 1883.
    • Yusr, M. M. (2016). Innovation capability and its role in enhancing the relationship between TQM practices and innovation performance. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 2, 6.
    • Zehir, C., Ertosun, Ö. G., Zehir, S., & Müceldili, B. (2011). The effects of leadership styles and organizational culture over firm performance: Multi-national companies in Istanbul. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 24, 1460–1474.
    • Zheng, W., Yang, B., & McLean, G. N. (2010). Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Journal of Business Research, 63, 763–771.

     

     

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics