E‐business through knowledge management in Spanish telecommunications companies
Abstract
Purpose
E‐business requires small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to seek both external and internal knowledge and to establish external and internal relationships with partners, such as customers and suppliers. This paper aims to describe a model that examines how knowledge management has an impact on the adoption of e‐business, particularly in SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews literature to identify relevant measures through a structural equation model, which is validated through an empirical investigation of 107 SMEs in the Spanish telecommunications sector.
Findings
The results show that, in order to implement e‐business systems, companies need to provide and support the acquisition, sharing and application of knowledge as prior steps.
Research limitations/implications
Other factors that have not been included in this study are also likely to affect knowledge acquisition.
Practical implications
Organisations that engage in learning from their customers and suppliers not only test the effectiveness of a new direction of e‐business, but also have the potential to design their e‐business around what customers truly need and want, and as such gain a sustainable competitive advantage.
Originality/value
These results have implications for e‐business managers in formulating policies and targeting appropriate organisational capabilities to ensure the effective adoption of e‐business systems.
Keywords
Citation
Cegarra‐Navarro, J.G. and Angel Martínez‐Conesa, E. (2007), "E‐business through knowledge management in Spanish telecommunications companies", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 28 No. 3/4, pp. 298-314. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720710755263
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited