Measuring Spread and Intensity of Knowledge Management Practices in Companies and Supply Chains

Purpose. Recently, there has been a progressive shift of focus from the traditional intra-firm view of knowledge management (KM) to an inter-firm perspective, which has become increasingly relevant especially in the context of supply chains (SCs). So, knowledge, which is a critical resource of companies, must be managed properly not only in single companies but also across SCs for the success of business for all the companies involved. The literature does not yet offer a clear picture of what KM practices are or how they can be specifically used especially in inter-firm contexts. In addition, their level of diffusion and use has not been well addressed so far. This study aims to contribute to fill this gap by investigating which KM practices are adopted in SCs, measure their intensity of use, and compare the adoption level of inter-firm vs. intra-firm KM practices. Design/Methodology/Approach. A survey of a sample of European manufacturing firms was conducted. Two measures were used: ‘‘degree of spread (DoS)’’ to know how many firms adopted a specific KM practice, and ‘‘intensity of use (IoU)’’ of each practice. Findings. The study confirms that many KM practices are used but with a very different spread and intensity. A lower use of KM practices generally regards the inter-firm than the intra-firm level. Also, firms use less intensely those practices which are popular in the KM literature. Originality/value. The study provides insights into an increasingly important but still underexamined issue, namely, the spread and intensity of use of inter-firm KM practices in comparison with the intra-firm use. The findings also support practical efforts to develop KM programs by improving the awareness of business managers and consultants and can be useful for designing KM courses targeted to current and future business managers.