Mapping the organizational factors that support knowledge management in the Brazilian automotive industry

The latest models on knowledge management (KM) recognize four phases for its practice: acquisition, storage, distribution, and knowledge utilization. The KM is characterized as a multidisciplinary discipline, involving both technical and social aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this research is both social and of coordination, aiming to identify contextual factors, internally developed in the organizations, which support the KM process in the Brazilian companies in the automotive sector.

To achieve the research purpose, a quantitative research method was employed, based on a survey research in the automotive sector.

The results point to the existence of eight contextual factors that support the KM process in the organizations. These factors are mainly related to the human being, responsible for the retention and transformation of primary knowledge, and the development of an organizational context that encourages the learning process through the culture and structure designed for this purpose.

One of the limitations is that the study is based on constructs derived from a theoretical background, however it does not offer an empirical test to validate the selected constructs. Future studies could create a metric to evaluate the constructs' consistency and use regression analysis to validate them. The second limitation relates to empirical research. The survey achieved a return of 78 companies and a larger sample could provide more robust data.

Practitioners need to take cognizance of the fact that KM process must not be confused nor focused on IT deployment. The development of an organizational context is much more complex and important to the success of KM. By characteristics of mapped factors, it is possible to conclude that KM process is focused on the development of individuals. It is from their employees that the organization promotes the knowledge exploitation in problem solving activities and incremental improvements, and knowledge exploration, rebuilding the competences to innovate the processes.

The main contribution of this paper is to identify the factors that companies in the Brazilian automotive industry must develop in order to promote KM. Furthermore, the research shows the relationship between these factors and KM process.