Assessment of knowledge management initiatives for the development of a learning capacity in organisations: An integrative model (Spanish text)

This dissertation tries to provide a theoretical and empirical context to analyse key knowledge management initiatives as an essential precondition for the improvement of an organisation's capacity to learn. Then, we develop a knowledge management model by integrating the two basic approaches in which knowledge management is generally rooted. The first approach advances the various extensions of information technologies and structured management systems as appropriate roads to initiate and structure knowledge management. These tangible aspects of knowledge management are required to fulfil data and information need, seek and use. The second approach highlights the role of individuals and personal relationships in the processes as a basis for action in knowledge management. This comprehend the socio-cultural conditions that can be shared by organizational members in order to convert information into knowledge and construct meanings of what have been sensed.; The analysis of surveys collected from Spanish Companies is used to test hypothesis referred to the direct and interactive effect of a set of techo-structural and socio-cultural knowledge management initiatives on the learning capacity in organizations. Hypothesis also include the link between the learning capacity and business performance. Data analysis has been mainly conducted by using Structural Equations Modeling (LISREL 8). Results provide support for most of the hypothesis showing that both structured management systems and socio-cultural conditions are significant enablers of the learning capacity in organizations. However, the role of information technologies seems to be more controversial and just significant when interacting with the socio-cultural conditions. The positive relationship between the learning capacity and business performance is supported as well.; Our findings support the model, even when we can find some reasonably suggestions and when it is difficult to propose an ideal model for knowledge management in organizations. To effectively learn, organizations need to integrate people, business processes and technology as a part of their knowledge management efforts. Then, knowledge management is complex but is a key to enhance business performance through the development of a learning capacity.