Do Knowledge Sources Matter? Exploring the Effect of Knowledge Sources on Knowledge Integration Processes

Knowledge integration (KI) is the process by which organizations identify, acquire, and utilize knowledge from external sources. Existing studies on KI have either researched what knowledge organizations gain from which sources or what processes are needed to do that. This study assumes that bridging these two research areas will contribute to a better understanding of KI processes. This is particularly needed to design (information) systems that are to support these processes. The results of an international survey amongst high-tech small and medium sized companies indicate that the use of knowledge sources is associated with KI processes but that this relationship is complex. Further descriptive and explanatory research is suggested on both higher and lower levels of detail than of the current study. Subsequently, the use of particular sources and processes should be compared to organizational performance and analyzed for its implications for the design of information systems.