Information infrastructure capability and organisational competitive advantage: Framework

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an inclusive research model to overcome the single perspective issues of the previous research which were looking at either on knowledge management (KM) activity, information technology (IT) applications or information infrastructure capability (IIC) independently.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviewed and categorised five knowledge management (KM) frameworks: first, KM foundation studies; second, resource-based view studies; third, IIC studies; fourth, competitive advantage (CA) studies; fifth, organisational information processing theory studies to propose research model. Case studies based on face-to-face interviews were conducted to empirically analyse the proposed research model.

Findings

An inclusive research model was suggested to redress the key limitation of past studies in this research field.

Research limitations/implications

Since Asian countries are at present heading for the creation of a knowledge economy, the present study is important to assist government and researchers to develop the most suitable information infrastructure for effective KM in the organisation. The research model proposed by the present study can also become a key reference to the governments and researchers in other developing countries towards the creation of knowledge economy.

Practical implications

The model proposed by the present study will help organisations to examine the performance of their current information infrastructure towards developing new business processes, techniques and decisions for effective KM in the organisations.

Originality/value

The present study is one of the pioneer studies that integrating important IICs such as the integrating capability, data management capability, security capability, utility capability and collaborating capability in the research framework to assist knowledge-based companies to enhance current KM practices and attain long-term CA.

Citation

Sook-Ling, L., Ismail, M.A. and Yee-Yen, Y. (2015), "Information infrastructure capability and organisational competitive advantage: Framework", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 35 No. 7, pp. 1032-1055. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-12-2013-0553