Assessment of the effect of IT infrastructure on the relationship between knowledge sharing and technological innovation capability: survey in multinational companies

ABSTRACT

This article aims to analyse the contribution of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure responsiveness in the initiative of using knowledge sharing to enhance the technological innovation capability of industrial companies. The research uses a sample of 90 multinational companies, and structural equation modelling to assess the hypotheses. The results show that initiatives to encourage knowledge sharing positively impact the technological innovation capability. Additionally, the research presents empirical evidence that the responsiveness of the IT infrastructure can induce knowledge sharing as a factor in expanding the technological innovation capability. Understanding how knowledge sharing can enhance technological innovation capability can help organisational theorists predict behaviours based on this innovative capability. Additionally, this understanding may expose mechanisms that enhance the effects of this sharing. This research contributes to the insertion of new views on studies involving the effects that IT responsiveness can exert on the technological innovation capability of companies.

KEYWORDS:

• Knowledge sharing
• IT infrastructure
• technological innovation capability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was carried out with financial support from the Graduate Programme in Production Engineering – PPGEP, at Universidade Nove de Julho – UNINOVE .

Notes on contributors

Adalberto Ramos Cassia

Dr. Adalberto Ramos Cassia Doctorate in Information Technology and Knowledge Management, Doctorate in Administration and Innovation, Master in Administration, Specialisation in Administration, Telecommunications, Software Engineering, Statistics and Finance, Graduation in Public and Business Administration, Graduation in Information Technology. Professional experience as IT manager at IBM and public manager at IBGE, professor of higher education in undergraduate courses in Administration, Accounting and Information Systems. Areas of study: Innovation Management, Knowledge Management, IT Management and Sustainability Management. Email: [email protected].

Ivanir Costa

Dr. Ivanir Costa Bachelor's Degree in Physics from the Physics Institute of the University of São Paulo (1972), Master's in Production Engineering from the Universidade Paulista (1999) and Ph.D. in Production Engineering from the University of São Paulo (2003). Currently professor and researcher at Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE). He has experience in Information Technology and Production Engineering, and has been working mainly on the following topics: software development, software engineering, agile software development, software quality, Information Technology, information systems, IT Strategic Governance and knowledge management.

Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto

Dr. Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto Research Productivity Scholarship (PQ) level 2, Ad-hoc consultant of the Foundation for Research Support of the State of S. Paulo (FAPESP) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Post-Doc from the University of Aveiro in Portugal in the area of Industrial Engineering and Management (2018), Post Doctorate from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFScar) in Production Engineering (2015), Doctor in Production Engineering (2012), Doctor in Business Administration (2013), Master in Production Engineering (2008), Specialist in Quality and Productivity Management (2006), Specialist in People Management (2006) and Graduation in Business Administration (2004). He is currently a professor and researcher at the Master's and Doctoral Programme in Production Engineering at Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE) in the Research Line on Operations Management with a focus on Eco-efficiency Tools (economic and environmental assessment), Sustainability in Operations, Aspects of Occupational Health and Safety in the Adoption of Cleaner Production, Technological Innovation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Reverse Logistics and Waste Management, Operations Strategy and Bibliometric Reviews and Content Analysis. In addition to teaching in the Logistics Technology course in the subjects of Health and Safety at Work, Quality Management, Reverse Logistics and Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. In addition to carrying out consulting activities in operations with a focus on logistics, health and safety at work, quality management, supply chain management and relations between production and the environment.