Knowledge Management in R&D Teams at a Spanish Technical University: Measurement and Relations with Organizational Culture

Abstract

The aim of this study was to create and analyze the psychometric properties of an instrument (Knowledge Creation and Dissemination Survey, KCD) to evaluate the knowledge management on Spanish R&D teams based on the Leonard-Barton’s (1995) model of knowledge flows. For this purpose, three different tasks were carried out: firstly analyzing the psychometric properties of the instrument; secondly, analyzing the knowledge management levels of the R&D teams at a technical university as well as the relationship between organizational culture and knowledge management. This instrument was developed to cover the existing gap in the evaluation of knowledge management. The “Knowledge Creation and Dissemination Survey” was administered to four different samples from a Spanish technical university. Here we will refer to the sample used for the final validation of the scale, 275 participants from 35 R&D teams. The psychometric properties of the “Knowledge Creation and Dissemination Survey” are adequate. According to the results of the study, the use of this diagnostic tool with university R&D teams seems justified, the knowledge management on these teams seems to be high considering the levels on the KCD dimensions, and there is a link between organizational culture and knowledge management. The main limitation of the study refers to the sample, future research must continue, extending the sample both in terms of its size and also on its diversity. The paper contributes to management research by presenting a useful, practical tool to evaluate group practices on knowledge management, and by present empirical evidence of the links between organizational culture and knowledge management.