An empirical research on knowledge management orientation and organizational performance: the mediating role of organizational innovation

A great research suggests that effective knowledge management can strengthen organizational performance. But empirical research is very scarce. The concept of knowledge management orientation based on knowledge and resource views presents the degree to which organizations implement knowledge management. This paper mainly analyzes the relationships among knowledge management orientation, organizational innovation and organizational performance. 227 organizations in china were selected as the sample base for an empirical test. The study found that knowledge management orientation plays positive role in promoting organizational performance. Organizational innovation partially mediates the relationship between knowledge management orientation and organizational performance. In addition, this paper tests the effects of the four dimensions (organizational memory, knowledge sharing, knowledge absorption, knowledge receptivity) of knowledge management orientation on the two dimensions (administrative and technical innovations) of organizational innovation respectively and the effects of the two dimensions of organizational innovation on organizational performance. The results show that the effects of organizational memory on organizational performance and administrative innovation were not significant. Other effects were significant. The implications of the research findings, limitations of this study and suggestions for future research were also discussed.