Designing, implementing, and evaluating a sustainable KM framework for mid-sized firms

Thesis Abstract

As mid-sized firms face increasing pressure to leverage tacit and explicit knowledge for competitive advantage amid rapid technological change, there is a pressing need for a sustainable knowledge management (KM) framework that integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into KM practices and outcomes. This study addresses the gap by designing, implementing, and evaluating a sustainable KM framework tailored to mid-sized manufacturing and services firms operating in dynamic markets. The primary aim is to develop a praxis-oriented framework that enhances knowledge creation, retention, transfer, and application while reducing knowledge loss and promoting long-term organizational resilience. The specific objectives are (1) to identify determinants of sustainable KM in mid-sized firms through a diagnostic survey; (2) to design a multi-layer KM framework balancing people, process, and technology dimensions with sustainability criteria; (3) to implement the framework in three case-study firms, accompanied by a pilot of digital KM tools and governance mechanisms; (4) to evaluate the framework’s impact on knowledge sharing frequency, knowledge stock/quality, innovation output, and sustainability metrics; and (5) to provide actionable recommendations for scaling and institutionalizing sustainable KM practices. The study adopts a mixed-methods design grounded in the Knowledge-Based View and the Resource-Based View, complemented by the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) lens to capture sustainability performance. The population comprises 82 mid-sized firms across manufacturing and professional services within a regional business park. A stratified random sample of 54 firms will be surveyed, with 180 individual respondents including managers, knowledge stewards, and frontline employees. In-depth case studies will be conducted in three intentionally selected firms representing distinct sectors and maturity in KM practices. Data collection instruments include a structured KM practices questionnaire (validated and piloted to ensure reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha >0.80), semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of KM policies, training records, and performance reports. The research employs descriptive statistics and inferential analysis, including multiple regression to test determinants of sustainable KM performance, structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the relationships among KM constructs and sustainability outcomes, and thematic analysis for qualitative data to capture contextual insights and emergent patterns. Reliability and validity strategies include test-retest reliability checks, triangulation across data sources, member checking, and pilot testing of instruments. Ethical considerations address informed consent, confidentiality, and data protection in alignment with institutional guidelines. A key expected finding is that a holistic KM framework integrating governance, capability development, social networks, and green IT practices significantly improves knowledge sharing frequency (p<0.05), increases the rate of knowledge-enabled innovations, and reduces tacit knowledge loss during personnel transitions. The analysis is anticipated to reveal that organizational culture, leadership support, and the strategic alignment of KM with sustainability goals mediate the relationship between KM practices and performance outcomes. The SEM results are expected to demonstrate good model fit (CFI >0.90, RMSEA <0.08), with sustainable governance and technology enablers contributing directly to knowledge quality and indirectly to innovation performance through enhanced transfer and reuse of knowledge assets. The qualitative findings should illuminate barriers such as resistance to change, data silos, and misalignment of incentives, as well as enablers including cross-functional communities of practice, sustainability-oriented performance metrics, and participatory decision-making. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalizing a sustainable KM framework for mid-sized firms, integrating sustainability criteria into KM maturity models, and providing an empirically tested blueprint for implementation and scaling. Theoretically, it advances the KM literature by linking the Knowledge-Based and Resource-Based Views with sustainability theory and SDG-aligned performance outcomes, enriching understanding of how sustainable KM practices translate into competitive advantage. Practically, it delivers a configurable framework, implementation guidelines, governance structures, and a set of KPIs that firms can adopt, adapt, and evaluate over time. The main conclusion posits that sustainable KM is not merely an ethical or environmental concern but a strategic capability that enhances resilience, innovation capacity, and long-term viability for mid-sized firms. Recommendations include embedding sustainability criteria in KM policies, investing in human capital development and digital infrastructure, fostering cross-functional communities of practice, and establishing continuous monitoring systems with feedback loops to sustain KM benefits and align them with evolving sustainability objectives.