A Multidimensional Structure for Describing the Influence of Supply Chain Strategies, Business Strategies, and Knowledge Management Strategies on Knowledge Sharing in Supply Chain

The main goal of this study is to present a multidimensional structure for relationship between Supply Chain Strategies, Business Strategies, and Knowledge Management Strategies with Knowledge Sharing in Supply Chain of the Automotive Industry of Iran. This is an applied research and has done as a Survey, Correlation and cause-effect research. In this research, confirmative factor analysis, correlation test, co-linearity test, and path analysis were used. Innovation aspect of the study is making a comprehensive view to relationship between supply chain strategies, business strategies, and knowledge management strategies with knowledge sharing in the supply chain. Another innovative aspect of the study is attention to supply chain strategies in context of knowledge management, because there are few researches about knowledge management in supply chain. The paper tries to describe quantitatively all the relations in multidimensional structure. Findings show that effective knowledge sharing in supply chain is influenced by the hierarchy of strategies. Therefore, supply chain strategies influence the business strategies and business strategies affects knowledge strategies and at least, knowledge strategies influence the effective and systematic knowledge sharing in the supply chain. Therefore, knowledge sharing is most of all influenced by knowledge management strategies; but is indirectly influenced by business strategies and supply chain strategies. DOI: 10.4018/jkm.2012100103 International Journal of Knowledge Management, 8(4), 50-70, October-December 2012 51 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.