Strategic Orientation in SME’s: The relationship between Organizational Structure and Knowledge Generation

Authors

  • William Carvalho Jardim Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS
  • Diego Antonio Bittencourt Marconatto Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/base.2020.173.02

Keywords:

SMEs, Strategic Orientation, Organizational Structure, Knowledge Generation.

Abstract

Knowledge generation (CG), organizational structure (OE) and strategic orientation (OE) are three central aspects for the functioning and performance of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), since their sustainability is significantly related to their operational results. However, it is not yet clear how the different aspects of the SME organizational structure impact KM. And little is known about how SME strategic guidelines (OEs) moderate these same relationships. In this article, we discovered (1) the influence of different aspects of SMEs' OEs on the capacity of KM and (2) the way in which different OEs moderate these relationships. For this, we employ structural equation modeling (SEM) in the data, obtained through online research (Qualtrics), of 219 North American SMEs. Among the most important results is the positive - and counterintuitive - impact of formalizing OE in KM, regardless of PM OE; as well as the positive moderation of potential OE in the various relationships tested. Departmentalization, on the other hand, showed a strong negative influence on KM. These results provide important insights for SME managers when indicating how they can increase KM in their business by matching their OE and OE. The theoretical contribution of this study comes from the identification of the established relationships - until then little explored in the literature - between OE, OE and GC in the scope of SMEs. Finally, the results of the study indicate new avenues of research for investigations in the field of SMEs.

Author Biographies

William Carvalho Jardim, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS

William Carvalho Jardim works in the Business Administration area, with emphasis in Marketing, has experience in industrial financial management, performing planning, strategy and management of industrial and corporate finance. Graduated from UNISINOS (University of the Rio dos Sinos Valley), a renowned Brazilian university with the highest marks and distinctions in the area of Management and Business, holds a CAPES Strictu Sensu scholarship from the UNISINOS Graduate Program in Administration. Conducts marketing research in the area of Consumer Behavior, Visual Attention, Priming Effect, using Eye tracking techniques and Meta Analysis methodology.

Diego Antonio Bittencourt Marconatto, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS

Professor Pesquisador do Programa de Pós-Graduação da Escola de Gestão e Negócios da Unisinos -- Pós-doutor em Administração pela HEC Montréal -- Visiting Scholar na HEC Montréal (Canadá) e na Universidad de Sevilla (Espanha) -- Experiência Executiva: Gestão Logística - Coca-Cola (Suprimentos, Frota, Estoque, PCP e Distribuição); Consultor de Negócios (Crescimento e Aumento de Lucratividade) -- Experiência Docente em Graduação ou Pós-Graduação nas seguintes instituições: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (Professor Adjunto), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, e Faculdades Metodista de Santa Maria Principais Interesses de Pesquisa: Empreendedorismo; Crescimento e Lucratividade de Pequenos e Médios Negócios

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Published

2020-09-29

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 3 (2020): JUL/SET

Section

Articles

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