A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ON SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCE OF ORGANIZATIONS IN CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background Of The Study

With the globalization of industry, supply chain management (SCM) has gained more importance, and supply chain competition is likely to continue to play a significant role in global competitive rivalries (Ketchen Jr. and Guinipero, 2018). The current economic downturn and the ensuing hypercompetitive landscape have created an urgent requirement for supply chain optimization procedures. In times of declining profits and rising expenses, it becomes imperative to devise novel organizational structures and trade-offs in order to improve decision-making processes and sustain a competitive advantage. In recent years, businesses have adopted SCM to facilitate the formulation of enterprise-wide strategic decisions pertaining to product development, consumer relations, manufacturing, vendors, and logistics. Supply chains are intricate webs of interconnected businesses that must perpetually improve their upstream and downstream operations and capabilities, from the procurement of raw materials to final consumer consumption (Mentzer et al., 2021). These network configurations consist of heterogeneous groups that occasionally have autonomic relationships despite their shared interest in particular topics. The ability of a company to rapidly utilize its entire network of suppliers, vendors, buyers, and customers is what gives supply chain management its advantages. The information flows that are fundamental to the coordination and collaboration among network participants are not only comprised of disparate information sources, but they also present a chance to develop knowledge-based tools that are critical to the capabilities of the extended firm (Davis and Spekman, 2019). 

The Resource Based View (RBV) theory posits that an organization's competitive advantage is built upon its capabilities, with those capabilities being derived from its resources (Barney, 2018; Hamel and Prahalad, 2022). As stated by Grant (2020), an organization's resources may consist of the following: intellectual property, organizational resources, financial resources, physical resources, technological resources, or capital apparatus. The Knowledge Based View (KBV), which emphasizes the role of organizational capabilities in establishing a sustainable competitive advantage, is an extension of this line of inquiry. It considers knowledge to be the most valuable resource (Conner and Prahalad, 2019; Kogut and Zander, 2021; Nonaka, 2018; Spender and Grant, 2020). According to Goh (2018), knowledge contributes to products, processes, and people, thereby increasing the value of an organization. In contrast, knowledge management (KM) converts information, data, and intellectual assets into lasting value by identifying knowledge that is applicable to managerial actions. KM tools facilitate the exploration, innovation, dissemination, and automation of corporate knowledge. Integration at the methodical, procedural, organizational, and cultural levels characterizes an integrated KM strategy. According to Grant (2020), the purpose of businesses is to enable individuals, who are regarded as knowledge resources, to incorporate their expertise into the organization's operations as capabilities. As an essential performance explanatory variable, "capabilities" are the focus of KBV as opposed to the structure and process of organizational activities, which is the focus of other theories. An expanding body of research investigates inter-organizational sharing among various actors in an effort to enhance supply chain performance. The knowledge-based approach provides novel insights into the mechanism by which practices are transferred and upgraded within supply chains (Dyer and Nobeoka, 2020; Wagner and Buko, 2022).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Supply Chain adoption of knowledge management is acknowledged as a significant source of competitive advantage. According to He et al. (2018), there is a growing interest on the part of academics and practitioners in comprehending and identifying the elements that facilitate efficient knowledge transmission among Supply Chain participants. The adoption of knowledge management in the Supply Chain creates a collaborative environment that allows the chain to be more adaptable and responsive in order to better its strategic competitive position in the market. Supply Chain members were able to access external knowledge thanks to knowledge management, which also helped the supply chain become more competitive overall (Lia & Hu, 2022). 

There is a lack of a comprehensive model connecting the strategy to the Supply Chain performance measures, despite the fact that many researchers have highlighted the significance of performance measurement and provided approaches and methods (Najmi & Makui, 2022). (Akyuz & Erkan, 2020) Supply Chain performance measurement is still an area that merits additional investigation. 

The effect of knowledge management practices on the efficacy of the Supply Chain is also not adequately studied (Marra et al., 2021). A greater understanding of the impact of knowledge management adoption on Supply Chain performance can be achieved by measuring knowledge management-enabled supply chain performance. In order to assess the effects of knowledge management adoption in the supply chain, it is necessary to establish effective performance measurements.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of knowledge management on supply chain performance of organizations in Cameroon. Specific objectives of this study are to:

Ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between knowledge management and supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon.

Identify the knowledge management processes and practices that influences supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon.

Find out the factors influencing supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon. 

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

What is the relationship between knowledge management and supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon?

What are the knowledge management processes and practices that influences supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon.

What are the factors influencing supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon. 

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: There is no significant relationship between knowledge management and supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between knowledge management and supply chain performance of Business organizations in Cameroon.

1.6 Significance of the Study

As a theoretical lens, general system theory is applied to the investigation. Prior research has not employed this method to investigate the correlation between KM practices and SCP. 

This study further develops a framework for a rational examination by building on a literature review. It assesses the KM literature as a potential source of novel insights and takes into account the management of knowledge in supply chains. 

In order to gain a competitive advantage on the global market, supply chain administrators will learn how to implement knowledge management (KM) practices. 

Practitioners will be empowered to recognize and execute the administrative modifications that are deemed essential and are suggested by this research. 

The objectives of this study provide policymakers, administrators, and the remainder of the dairy workforce with strategic recommendations.

1.7 Scope Of The Study

The scope of this study focuses on the impact of knowledge management on supply chain performance of organizations in Cameroon. Hence, the study will be delimited to  Banque Atlantique Cameroun.

1.8 Limitations Of The Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. However, the researcher were able to manage these just to ensure the success of this study.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.9 Definition Of Terms 

Knowledge Management (KM): is a systematic approach to identifying, capturing, organizing, storing, retrieving, and sharing knowledge assets within an organization to facilitate effective decision-making, innovation, learning, and performance improvement.  

Supply Chain:  refers to the network of interconnected entities, organizations, activities, resources, and processes involved in the production, distribution, and delivery of goods or services from suppliers to end customers. It encompasses the entire lifecycle of a product or service, from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to distribution, retailing, and consumption.