Exploring the Relationship between Knowledge Integration and Process Improvement: A Case of Saudi Manufacturing Firms
Many scholars have explored the Knowledge Integration (KI) with the improvement of firm’s performance. However, there is still scarcity of the literature available on integrating the knowledge and exploring process improvement of the firms, specifically the manufacturing firms operating in an emerging economy (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA). The available literature focused on investigating and defining knowledge integration conceptually and ignored the need to investigate the knowledge integration. Therefore, this paper provides the guidelines for researchers, practitioners as well as policy makers about the integration of knowledge and its impact on process improvement. The paper explores a comprehensive understanding of knowledge integration with some motivational factors – Employee Empowerment and Recognition and Rewards. The paper provides significant contributions to Saudi-Manufacturing firms. The paper first, explores the literature that the manufacturing firms should understand before implementing the knowledge integration capabilities in their businesses. Second, it provides a successful framework for the Saudi-Manufacturing firms. Hypotheses are developed on the relationships among the KI (internal integration as well as external integration) and process improvement. The data is collected through a survey questionnaire from senior managers working in in Saudi Manufacturing firms and is analysed by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results have revealed that the firms implementing knowledge integration in their processes from supplier to customers are performing exceptionally well as compared to the other firms.