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Experiential and Informational Knowledge, Architectural Marketing Capabilities, and the Adaptive Performance of Export Ventures: A Cross-National Study
Decision Sciences, Spring 2003 by Morgan, Neil A, Zou, Shaoming, Vorhies, Douglas W, Katsikeas, Constantine S
Second, our findings provide new empirical insights into the concept of organizational memory. Organizational memory has been conceptualized as an accessible repository for an organization's collective knowledge (e.g., Day, 1994; Sinkula, 1994; Walsh & Ungson, 1991). Despite increasing theoretical attention in the literature, organizational memory has not been the subject of a much empirical study (e.g., Hult, 1998; Moorman & Miner, 1997). In operationalizing organizational memory, the empirical studies undertaken have often used indirect indicators of memory such as the size and age of the organization (e.g., Berthon, Pitt, & Ewing, 2001). In terms of the logic of the theoretical arguments presented, and the operationalization of key constructs, our study may be holistically viewed as an assessment of organizational memory and its links with performance outcomes. For example, the experience of the organization, its informational knowledge, and knowledge embedded in the organization's capabilities are all phenomena that have been viewed as important aspects of organizational memory (e.g., Moorman & Miner, 1997; Sinkula, 1994). As such, our findings offer both insights into how theoretical organizational memory predictions can be operationalized, as well as initial empirical support for propositions linking organizational memory with organizational performance.
Third, while marketing studies have suggested the importance of market-based informational knowledge (e.g., Jaworski & Kohli, 1993; Slater & Narver, 1994), our results extend existing knowledge by indicating the importance of individual- and organizational-level experiential knowledge in developing and using architectural capabilities that enable organizations to adapt to their environment. In addition, supporting marketing theory propositions, our findings extend knowledge management theory by indicating that while most previous KBV empirical studies have focused on scientific and technical knowledge, knowledge concerning the market environment may be a particularly valuable element of the knowledge base of the firm. From an exporting perspective, firm-level experiential knowledge of the market environment has been examined in international business as a driver of strategic choices concerning foreign market selection and foreign market entry mode (e.g., Eriksson et al., 1997). Our study extends existing knowledge in this area by examining the role of individual-level as well as organizational-level experiential knowledge simultaneously, and by linking this knowledge with adaptive capabilities rather than just market entry choices. Our study therefore represents one of the first KBV empirical studies to simultaneously combine consideration of both experiential and informational knowledge at the individual as well as the organizational level. Our findings indicate that, in furthering theoretical understanding of the relationship between the knowledge base of the firm and performance outcomes, it is necessary to simultaneously examine both different levels and different types of knowledge present in the firm's knowledge base. From a managerial perspective, this suggests that knowledge management strategies need to pay particular attention to building the organization's knowledge base in terms of the acquisition of both individual- and organizational-level experiential knowledge and organizational-level informational knowledge.
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