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Quality Management and Environmental Management: Role of Knowledge Transfer and Organizational Innovation in Knowledge-Based Firms

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Ehsan Namdar Joyami at University of Tehran
Ehsan Namdar Joyami
Nour Mohammad Yaghoubi at University of Sistan and Baluchestan
Nour Mohammad Yaghoubi
Seyed AliGholi Rowshan
Seyed AliGholi Rowshan
Seyed AliGholi Rowshan
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Abstract and Figures

While knowledge-based firms pay much attention to quality management and environmental management, they pay little attention to transferring external knowledge into the organization, transferring internal knowledge to the outside of the organization, and transferring and localizing innovation within the organization. The role of knowledge transfer and organizational innovation in quality management and environmental management is the focus of this study. This research contributes to a better understanding of the function of organizational innovation and knowledge transfer as a strategic source and competitive advantage in today’s competitive and evolving era. The results of this research could be expanded upon and applied in all types of knowledge-based firms inside and outside of Iran. The literature review shows that all previous studies were conducted in developed countries and emerging economies. This study, however, was carried out in Iran, as a developing country, with a focus on concepts such as quality, environment, knowledge, and innovation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between quality management and environmental management with a focus on the role of organizational knowledge and innovation transfer among managers of knowledge-based firms in science and technology parks and eight provinces were randomly selected as sample clusters in Islamic Republic of Iran Country. This research has been finalized in 2021. A conceptual model was designed in the light of theoretical literature and logical theory. Six hypotheses were formulated. The data were collected using a questionnaire and then analyzed through the Structural Equation Model. The results showed positive and significant relationships between quality management and environmental management; quality management and knowledge transfer; knowledge transfer and environmental management; quality management and organizational innovation; and organizational innovation and environmental management. The results further proved that there is a direct and significant relationship between knowledge transfer and organizational innovation. The current research showed that environmental management and quality management are relevant approaches to promote the productivity of knowledge-based firms, with a focus on the role of knowledge transfer and organizational innovation in achieving goals and missions.
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Journal of the Knowledge Economy
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01304-x
1 3
Quality Management andEnvironmental Management:
Role ofKnowledge Transfer andOrganizational Innovation
inKnowledge‑Based Firms
EhsanNamdarJoyami1 · NourMohammadYaghoubi2·
SeyedAliGholiRowshan3
Received: 25 February 2022 / Accepted: 25 February 2023
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
2023
Abstract
While knowledge-based firms pay much attention to quality management and envi-
ronmental management, they pay little attention to transferring external knowledge
into the organization, transferring internal knowledge to the outside of the organi-
zation, and transferring and localizing innovation within the organization. The role
of knowledge transfer and organizational innovation in quality management and
environmental management is the focus of this study. This research contributes to
a better understanding of the function of organizational innovation and knowledge
transfer as a strategic source and competitive advantage in today’s competitive and
evolving era. The results of this research could be expanded upon and applied in
all types of knowledge-based firms inside and outside of Iran. The literature review
shows that all previous studies were conducted in developed countries and emerging
economies. This study, however, was carried out in Iran, as a developing country,
with a focus on concepts such as quality, environment, knowledge, and innovation.
The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between quality
management and environmental management with a focus on the role of organi-
zational knowledge and innovation transfer among managers of knowledge-based
firms in science and technology parks and eight provinces were randomly selected
as sample clusters in Islamic Republic of Iran Country. This research has been final-
ized in 2021. A conceptual model was designed in the light of theoretical literature
and logical theory. Six hypotheses were formulated. The data were collected using a
questionnaire and then analyzed through the Structural Equation Model. The results
showed positive and significant relationships between quality management and
environmental management; quality management and knowledge transfer; knowl-
edge transfer and environmental management; quality management and organiza-
tional innovation; and organizational innovation and environmental management.
The results further proved that there is a direct and significant relationship between
knowledge transfer and organizational innovation. The current research showed that
Extended author information available on the last page of the article
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... A large number of published knowledge transfer studies have focused on the process of knowledge transfers or its influence on an organization's performance and innovation (Michailova & Minbaeva, 2012;Susanty et al., 2012;Castrogiovanni et al., 2016;Lekhawipat et al., 2018;Vlajcic et al., 2019;Ibidunni et al., 2022;Foster et al., 2023;Joyami et al., 2023). In this regard, previous studies have addressed knowledge transfer by investigating more than 90 of its determinants (Minbaeva, 2007). ...
... The existing literature has investigated knowledge learning and knowledge transfer at both an individual level (Fee & Gray, 2020;Zoogah & Peng, 2011) and an organizational level (Foster et al., 2023;Van Wijk et al., 2008). Moreover, the current literature on knowledge transfer has been studied in various contexts which include intra-firm knowledge transfer (Elbaz et al., 2018;Joyami et al., 2023;Lee & Ahn, 2007;Renzl, 2008) and inter-firm knowledge transfer (Chang et al., 2012;Gonzalez & Chakraborty, 2014;Vaara et al., 2010). An example of the former can be found in a recent study by Rehman (2018), which examines knowledge transfer between employees in the public sector. ...
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