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.

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