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The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of knowledge management (KM) in selected Iranian academic research centers (IARCs) in order to identify the most relevant KM critical success factors adopted by those centers that include physics, chemical, drug, aerospace, nanotechnology, mechanic, aviation, and biotechnology research centers.

Based on extensive review of KM literature, broad ranges of general KM critical success factors are identified. Then, through field studies, the degree of the relevance of each particular KM success factor is determined. The research procedure finally led to the identification of KM critical success factors prevailing in IARCs.

Five distinct KM factors including 16 different elements are found to be relevant and critical in the course of KM implementation in IARCs. These factors are “human resource management and flexible structures,” “KM architecture and readiness,” “knowledge storage,” “benchmarking,” and “chief knowledge officer.”

The extracted factors can act as a guideline for KM preliminary phases in organizations. This helps to ensure that the essential issues are covered during the design and implementation phase of a KM program. For academics, it may provide a common language for discussion and study of the factors crucial for KM.

The paper should be of value to researchers of KM in general, and to implementers of KM programs. It presents a range of issues critical to the adoption of KM initiatives.

The main purpose of this study is examining the relationship between organizational change capacity (OCC) and organizational performance (OP).

After extensive researches in organizational literature about change and performance, the OCC model from Judge and Douglas consists of eight dimensions (trustworthy leadership, involved mid-management, capable champions, innovative culture, trusting followers, systems thinking, accountable culture, and effective communication), and the OP model from Lee consists of six dimensions (stakeholders' satisfaction, organizational communication, organizational growth, strategic performance, knowledge management, and team collaboration); were considered. In order to test the hypothesis, a series of 130 qualified employees in a knowledge-based organization were questioned. The measurement tool was a two-part questionnaire (OCC and OP). Validity of questionnaire well approved based on face validity method by experts, specialists and professors of management. Using the results of pre-test, Cronbach's α was showed the very high reliability.

Moreover, the results of regression analysis showed that regression line ascribes changes in dependent variable (OP) to independent variable (OCC). It means that high percentage of change in OP (77.3 percent) will be explainable and predictable with OCC. Then, with utilizing of parametric and non-parametric tests, the relationship between OCC and OP; and between components of OCC and OP was investigated. Finally, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests results confirmed the significant relationships. Overall, the results of this study show the significant, positive, strong relationship between OCC and OP.

As not many studies have been done about the impact of organizational change on OP, the paper's findings will be useful to assess the adaptation ability of organization with changing environment and the impact of this adaptation on OP.

Knowledge is recognized as a valuable asset and universities are in search of a new strategy that allows them to build their knowledge and experience. To achieve this goal, it seems essential to find the factors associated with knowledge creation (KC) in universities. There is currently no comprehensive model that delineates the relationships between personal, institutional and support-related factors of KC. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the factors that affect KC in higher education institutions.

This is an explanatory mixed methods approach that consists of qualitative and quantitative stages. In the qualitative phase, 14 authorities on KC were interviewed and the data yielded were subjected to content analysis. A model and hypotheses were then formulated and a questionnaire was developed to test these. The questionnaire was submitted to faculty members of Tehran University. Questionnaire data were was analyzed using structural equation and partial least squares with the aid of SmartPLS.

The results showed three main categories of KC factors: institutional, personal and support. A total of 19 sub-factors were identified within these main categories. According to the results, social capital (path coefficient=0.84) had the strongest correlation with the institutional; basic skills for KC (path coefficient=0.92) had the strongest correlation with the personal, and information and library resources (path coefficient=0.95) had the highest correlation with the support aspect of KC.

The study uses a multidimensional approach to test the effect of factors on KC, and can contribute to organizations (especially universities) through developing a more comprehensive model of KC. This research may lead to guidelines for universities, using Tehran University as a case study, which give more attention to the main factors of KC and improve and develop the KC process.

This paper aims to study the critical success factors (CSF) of knowledge management (KM) in Iranian urban water and sewage companies (IUWSC) using interpretive structural modeling (ISM)-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method.

Through the literature review among many key factors of KM success, nine factors were selected as the main factors. After confirming the related indices by industry experts, a questionnaire was distributed among them for determining the relationship between the relevant components. Using ISM-DEMATEL approach, a structural model was formed and then the causal relationship among factors was visualized through a cause-effect relationship diagram.

The analysis of the results showed that among the studied factors, strategies and goals would have the greatest impact on success of KM implementation and senior management support, and teamwork and organizational culture are other CSFs of KM in IUWSC. In the end, the author’s proposed model for implementation of KM was presented based on the results for the status quo of the studied community.

The set of CSFs can act as a guideline for organizations to ensure that basic factors and issues are covered during implementation KM. Moreover, it provides a clue for effective development of KM in a stepwise approach.

This survey is probably the first to provide an integrated view of CSFs for implementation KM in IUWSC. It is hoped to give valuable information to help this business sector to accomplish KM effectively.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge management (KM) processes and supply chain performance, with information technology/information system (IT/IS) support, supply chain integration, and supply chain strategy as moderators.

Drawing on the knowledge-based view, a theoretical framework is developed consisting of six KM processes: knowledge creation, knowledge capture, knowledge organization, knowledge storage, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge application, and the performance of supply chain is evaluated in terms of four Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) process elements: Plan, Source, Make, and Delivery. Structural equation modeling is employed using a sample of 78 Iranian manufacturers in mechanical and engineering industry.

Empirical results show that KM processes have a significant impact on supply chain performance which is positively moderated by IT/IS support and supply chain integration. While the moderating effect of IT/IS support is found to be considerably stronger, the relationship between KM processes and supply chain performance is not significantly different in lean and agile supply chains.

Since the sample for this study is small and drawn only from manufacturing companies in mechanical and engineering industry, it would be important to conduct further empirical studies with larger samples from a wider range of industries to improve and strengthen our analyses and provide more conclusive and generalizable results.

Through empirical study, a better understanding of the impact of KM processes on supply chain performance and the moderating role of IT/IS support and supply chain integration can be gained.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of knowledge management (KM) in an Iranian Research Organisation in order to identify and classify the most relevant KM critical success factors.

Based on extensive review of KM literature, broad ranges of general KM critical success factors are identified. Then, through field studies and employing factor analysis techniques and Friedman test, the degree of the relevance of each particular KM critical success factors is determined. The research procedure finally led to the identification of KM critical success factors prevailing in the research organization.

Eight distinct KM factors including 22 different elements are found to be relevant and critical in the course of KM implementation in the research organization. These factors are “The presence of appropriate organizational culture”, “The existing system for knowledge documentation, recording and registration”, “The presence of motivational system for workforces”, “Appropriate management and planning for KM realization”, “The existing hardware and software infrastructures and standard executive processes in KM field”, “The presence of specialized teams including expert and skillful personnel”, “The existing appropriate organizational architecture of KM and evaluation system for realization of KM” and “The existing systematic relationship with beneficiaries of the research organization”.

The paper should be of value to researchers of KM in general, and to implementers of KM programs. It presents a range of issues critical to the adoption of KM initiatives.

Although there are some studies about knowledge management at national level, no integrated attempts have been reported in the direction of introducing knowledge management pattern at national level based on real experiences. Numerous researches have been conducted in the domain of knowledge management at micro level. But at macro/national level, some concepts and components have been investigated briefly. The purpose of this paper is to deal with this gap.

This research uses the hybrid method. The technique of qualitative case study of grounded theory method has been selected in this research for gathering and analyzing data. Data have been categorized and analyzed from case studies (at countries level) using the steps of this method. The degree of correlation and causality and the importance of each concept existing in the pattern have been computed by applying decision-making trial and evaluation (dematel) technique. The obtained concepts and pattern could be applied as a guide for accepting and implementing knowledge management at national level.

Total positive findings have been obtained from case studies, and the authors attained 14 concepts and one pattern. These findings provide the steps of designing and are useful in implementing projects and programs of knowledge management at national level. The degree of correlation between the components of the pattern is the other finding of this study.

The obtained concepts and patterns can be used as a guide in countries and governments which decide to implement knowledge management at national level. These can be a basis for countries which are in the process of implementing the projects of knowledge management at national level.

This research is the first study that aims to provide the pattern of knowledge management at national level and can provide useful information for countries and governments and can be used as a reference to guide them for the implementation. So these countries will be able to design and implement their programs of knowledge management purposefully.

The purposes of this study are to identify, classify and prioritize knowledge management (KM) barriers in an Iranian project-based organization (PBO) and to present a conceptual framework for improving attitudes to KM in the Iranian context.

After studying previous literature on the topic, initial barriers of KM in PBOs were extracted. Then, a list of barriers of KM in the aforementioned organizations was finalized by interviewing experts in KM. After that, the barriers were prioritized using a questionnaire. Finally, a conceptual framework for successfully tackling KM barriers was presented.

In this article, barriers of KM in PBOs have been divided into five categories: individual, organizational, technological, contextual, and inter-project. Then a three-layered conceptual framework has been presented which describes how the barriers of KM in PBOs may be removed progressively.

The prepared and prioritized list of barriers of KM in PBOs is a stepping stone and a guideline for managers in PBOs which will enable them to identify barriers of KM in their own organizations and resolve them and improve KM in their organizations. It also serves as a useful base for researchers to expand further research concerning barriers of KM in PBOs.

This article is probably the first article which has identified barriers of KM via interviews and questionnaires carried out in 50 active PBOs which had a KM section. The article also presents a three-layered framework for lowering barriers of KM, which can be applied step by step after considering the level of importance of each one identified.

This paper aims to explore the relationship between personality traits (introversion versus extroversion) and knowledge acquisition (KA) techniques.

The major methodology of the current study is survey. Results are based on 152 usable responses provided by experts in different industries including electronic, communication, information technology, computer and biology. The major analytical technique used is Pearson correlation analysis.

According to the results, there are significant relationships between personality traits (i.e. introversion versus extroversion) and KA techniques.

This study was conducted on data from 152 Iranian experts which limits the generalizability of the results. This limitation can be addressed by future studies conducting similar studies on cross-country samples. Further, due to the analytical technique adopted in this study, causality implications cannot be drawn from the results.

This study reveals linkages between personality traits (i.e. introversion versus extroversion) and KA techniques. Results shed light on the KA process for both scholars and practitioners involved in KA programs in the organizations.

Knowledge sharing (KS) of employees has numerous benefits for organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a model for KS in research centers (RCs) that can facilitate the employee's knowledge sharing behavior (KSB).

Based on the extensive literature review, a valid instrument was adopted to collect the required data set on KS, KSB and intention to KS, and finally 317 complete questionnaires were collected from Iranian research centers. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the measurement model and to test the research hypotheses.

The findings show that intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors and intention to methods of KS play an important role in KSB. In other words, simultaneous supply of motivational factors and KS methods interesting for employees lead to their KSB. The SEM confirmed the research model and showed a good fit of it.

The implication emanating from this study is that the employees' KSB in RCs as a significant part depends on simultaneous supplying of motivational factors (especially intrinsic motivational factors) and methods of KS that are interesting for employees.

What distinguishes this study from other studies in KS domain could be implied in two subjects. First, the presented model is simple and prepared of the introduced factors, which will lead to KSB. Second, this study was conducted in diverse research fields such as electrical and electronics, telecommunications, materials, chemistry, biotechnology, information technology, management and industrial engineering, computer network security, mechanical and manufacturing. The research model was derived from the collected data of these areas that is unique in this domain.