The role of knowledge management in enhancing innovation in SMEs in the Gaza Strip

Other Title(s)

دور إدارة المعرفة في تعزيز الابتكار لدى المؤسسات الصغيرة و المتوسطة في قطاع غزة

Dissertant

al-Kurayri, Ahmad Awni Ahmad

Thesis advisor

Abu al-Rus, Sami Ali

University

Islamic University

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

Department

Department of Business Administration

University Country

Palestine (Gaza Strip)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2017

English Abstract

This study aims at investigating the role of knowledge management practices in enhancing innovation in the SMEs in the Gaza Strip.

Practices investigated are knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge implementation.

The study followed the analytical descriptive approach.

Based on the literature review, the researcher designed a questionnaire as a data collection tool.

The study targeted the employees of the SMEs in the Gaza Strip working in the information and communication sector (ICT).

This was intended to explore the most important knowledge management practices that lead SMEs in the ICT sector to be more innovative.

Population of the research consisted of 685 employees in the ranks of director, deputy director, administrative, technician, engineer, designer and other working in 45 ICT enterprises.

The study sample was random and it consisted of 246 employees, while the retrieved questionnaires were 246 forms, which represented a 100% response rate.

Correlation and regression analysis were used to examine the relationship between the knowledge management practices and the level of innovation in SMEs working in the ICT sector in the Gaza Strip.

This is in addition to assessing the impact of knowledge management practices on that level.

The following were the most important findings of the current study: The results showed that there is a positive correlation between knowledge management practices and the level of innovation process at the targeted SMEs in the Gaza Strip.

The results of the research revealed that Knowledge Creation (KC) and Knowledge Implementation (KI) together have a significant impact on the level of innovation in the targeted SMEs.

Also, the study indicated that most of knowledge management practices are carried out by the SMEs working in the ICT sector in the Gaza Strip.

Results showed that knowledge acquisition was ranked first, followed by knowledge sharing, knowledge creation and knowledge implementation, respectively.

The study concluded that there are differences among the respondents in their opinions over the impact of KM on the level of innovation process in SMEs in Gaza that could be attributed to the variables of gender, age, qualification, occupation type, occupation, and years of service.

Finally the study suggested several recommendations for the SMEs working in the ICT sector to enhance KM practices and increase enterprises tendency to be more innovative.

These recommendations included the following: SMEs should exert more efforts to get transformed to an organizational learning theme and apply proper knowledge management practices in this regard.

For example; tailored training programs should be designed and implemented for employees working in SMEs in the Gaza Strip to improve their knowledge creation practices.

SMEs should keep on developing, sharing and disseminating information amongst all employees within their structure, and reward their employees who effectively cooperate and share experience.

SMEs should promote sharing technology and information with customers and suppliers to keep on relationships with them and contribute to the innovation process in the organization.

SMEs should set a defined budget for KM initiatives and strengthen the linkage between knowledge and their strategic plans.

SMEs should carry out a regular assessment of the level of employees’ knowledge and a periodic assessment of the current state of knowledge management within the organization.

SMEs should invest more in knowledge implementation since it contributes to the innovation of the organization.

Main Subjects

Business Administration

No. of Pages

127

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-911322