Depósi o de In es igación de la Uni e sidad de Se illa
h ps://idus.us.es/
This is an Accep ed Manusc ip o an a icle published by Else ie in
Eu opean Managemen Jou nal, 2016 Volume 34, Issue 6, on Decembe ,
a ailable a : h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.emj.2016.06.005
Copy igh 2016 Else ie . En idUS Licencia C ea i e Commons CC BY-NC-ND
EXCELLENCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND KEY
BUSINESS RESULTS IN LARGE ORGANISATIONS AND SMEs: A MULTI-GROUP ANALYSIS
ABSTRACT
Following he To al Quali y Managemen (TQM) philosophy and he knowledge managemen (KM)
app oach, his con ibu ion aims o s udy he in luence o p ocess me hodology and pa ne managemen on
knowledge managemen , and he ela ionships be ween his a iable wi h key business esul s. We also
analyse he mode a ing ole o o ganisa ional size on hese p e ious ela ionships. The hypo heses p oposed
in ou esea ch model a e es ed on a sample o 225 Spanish companies wi h expe ience in TQM h ough
e alua ions by means o he EFQM Excellence Model. The pa ial leas squa es s uc u al equa ions
modelling (PLS-SEM) app oach was used o es he esea ch model. In o de o assess he mode a ing
e ec s o o ganisa ional size, we adop a mul i-g oup app oach using wo subsamples wi h la ge i ms and
small and medium-sized en e p ises (SMEs). Ou indings indica e ha he use o p ocess me hodology and
he in ol emen o pa ne s a e key ac o s o KM o ha e a signi ican impac on he key esul s o he
business, bo h s a egic and ope a ional. Mo eo e , he o ganisa ional size is de e minan when analysing he
e ec o p ocess me hodology and pa ne managemen on KM. In his sense, p ocess me hodology has a
g ea e e ec on KM in he SMEs. On he con a y, he ela ionship be ween pa ne managemen and KM is
mo e in ense in la ge i ms. Finally, i is co obo a ed ha KM can be e ec i e and imp o e he key business
esul s independen ly o he size o he o ganisa ion.
Key wo ds: Knowledge managemen , TQM, EFQM Model, o ganisa ional size, PLS-SEM, mul i-g oup
analysis, mode a ing e ec s.
1. INTRODUCTION
The li e a u e con ibu es e idence o ela ionships and syne gies be ween o al quali y managemen (TQM)
p ac ices and knowledge managemen (KM). In his sense, he mo e s udied opics e e o how quali y
managemen a ou s knowledge c ea ion (Asi e al., 2013; Linde man e al., 2004), knowledge ans e
(Molina e al., he 2007) and he comple e p ocess o c ea ion, ans e , sha ing and applica ion o knowledge
(Ooi, 2009). In addi ion, esea ch shows how he in eg a ion o bo h managemen app oaches can s eng hen
lea ning (Choo e al., 2007; Loke e al., 2012), inno a ion (Hona pou e al., 2012), as well as a ec o he
a iables ela ed mo e di ec ly o o ganisa ional pe o mance such as cus ome sa is ac ion, e enue g ow h,
employee p oduc i i y o p o i g ow h (Ta í and Ga cía-Fe nandez, 2013).
Va ious s udies (Bou-Llusa e al., 2009; Cal o-Mo a e al., 2014; Kim e al, 2010) show how excellence
models o e a sui able e e ence amewo k o he implemen a ion o TQM. Al hough, as Gómez e al.
(2015) indica e, Excellence Models and TQM a e no he same amewo ks, bu ollow a simila pa h, and i
can be expec ed ha a company wi h high sco es in Excellence Models will ha e high odds o being a TQM
company. Bo h sys ems p o ide a means o imp o e pe o mance and o gua an ee con inuous imp o emen
and compe i i eness. Wi h ime, Excellence Models ha e become mo e comple e managemen amewo ks,
wi h inc easingly g ea e scope. In addi ion o aspec s ypical o TQM philosophy, hey app oach o he
aspec s such as co po a e social esponsibili y, knowledge managemen , human esou ces managemen and
s a egic planning.
Bena ides and Quin ana (2005), Ma ín-Cas illa and Rod iguez-Ruiz (2008) and Wes e eld (2003) main ain
ha simila i ies exis be ween KM ac i i ies and he e alua ion c i e ia o he EFQM Model o o he
Excellence Models. Thus, Bena ides and Quin ana (2005) make a heo e ical p oposal, on how he ‘agen s’
c i e ia o he EFQM Model a ou he KM p ocess, and how he ‘ esul s’ c i e ia enable he e alua ion o
his p ocess. In addi ion, hey conclude how he EFQM Model cons i u es an ideal ins umen o suppo o
KM, explici ly ecognising ha o each maximum pe o mance, o ganisa ions need o manage and o sha e
hei knowledge in he con ex o a cul u e, o ien ed owa ds lea ning, inno a ion and con inuous
imp o emen . Ma ín-Cas illa and Rod iguez-Ruiz (2008) y o show how he EFQM Model o e s a
s a egic amewo k o knowledge managemen and inno a ion, which ocuses on a concep ual analysis o
he ela ionships be ween excellence and in ellec ual capi al. The s udy shows ha in ellec ual capi al is
aken in o accoun in he o e a ching amewo k o he EFQM Model. In his ega d i is possible o de ine
ela ionships be ween each componen o he in ellec ual capi al na iga o s, and hose coming om he
model. The au ho s conside ha he in ellec ual capi al pe spec i e is a key elemen ha uns ho izon ally
ac oss he c i e ia o he EFQM Model. Wes e eld (2003) main ains ha he EFQM model cons i u es an
elemen o s imulus and undamen al suppo o KM, and ha impo an co espondences exis , be ween he
ac i i ies o KM, and he undamen al concep s and c i e ia o he EFQM model.
Howe e , he e is a lack esea ch ha empi ically analyses he sui abili y o he EFQM Model as a e e ence
amewo k o a KM implemen a ion in SMEs and la ge o ganiza ions and how i can posi i ely in luence
he key esul s o he o ganisa ion. Resea ch s udies ha use a ho izon al eading o he EFQM Model o
analyse ques ions ela ed o TQM and KM. The ho izon al eading o he EFQM Model h ough he
ans e se axes is a powe ul ool o analysing impo an concep s o he o ganisa ion (Fe nández-San os, e
al., 2010), al hough i is no as ob ious as he adi ional h ough he c i e ia and he sub-c i e ia. Thus, he
EFQM Model is no a se o unconnec ed c i e ia. On he con a y, i p esen s a se ies o in e - ela ed
p ac ices ha o e g ea e con inui y and cohe ence (Ma ín-Cas illa and Rod iguez-Ruiz, 2008). The
in e p e a ion o he ela ionships be ween he c i e ia and sub-c i e ia lies in he so-called ans e se axes, o
ho izon al eading o he model, as opposed o i s adi ional e ical eading. The exis ence o hese axes
implies adop ing a sys emic app oach o managemen (Rusjan, 2005). This is o say, we will no be able o
each global imp o emen s in he o ganisa ion, i we do no simul aneously app oach he di e en aspec s o
he c i e ia o he model as in e dependen elemen s (Cal o-Mo a e al., 2015).
In his s udy, he ans e se analysis o he EFQM Model allows KM o be analysed in hose o ganisa ions
which ha e been subjec ed o he assessmen p ocess, aking in o accoun ha KM is no con empla ed in any
speci ic c i e ion o he model. On he con a y, he aspec s ela ed o knowledge a e conside ed in di e en
sub-c i e ia h oughou he EFQM Model. Mo e speci ically, i will be a emp ed o analyse wo impo an
aspec s o he e ec i eness o KM: p ocess managemen me hodology (Asi e al., 2013; Hsu and Shen,
2005) and he managemen o pa ne s (Ju e al., 2006).
In his ega d, he alue o p oduc s and se ices o he cus ome s should be op imised, h ough p ocess
managemen me hodology. Thus, documen ed in o ma ion (p ocedu es, echnical ins uc ions and eco ds) is
gene a ed, which is a way o sys ema ising he wha , who, how and when, e c., o wha is done in he
o ganisa ion (a o malisa ion o he o ganisa ional epo ). In addi ion, his documen ed in o ma ion
cons i u es a means o con ibu ing e idence o he esul s ha a e being eached. This sou ce o in o ma ion
and knowledge mus be known by he managemen o imp o e he decision making p ocess and by he
wo ke s o unde ake hei wo k mo e e icien ly (in e nal knowledge). On he o he hand, he managemen
o pa ne s is c ucial o ob ain a sus ainable p o i ; mo e speci ically, we e e o he need o es ablish
ne wo ks o iden i y oppo uni ies o po en ial alliances wi h pa ne s. This ype o knowledge is also
necessa y o compe e, which is why i is necessa y o a ou he ans e o knowledge be ween
o ganisa ions.
In addi ion, he e ec i eness o KM will be analysed h ough i s impac on he key esul s o he business.
The esul s a e a basic elemen o he knowledge accumula ed in he o ganisa ion, which no only se e o
ma k he s a e, speed and cou se eached by he con inuous imp o emen o he quali y in he o ganisa ion,
bu also, and e en mo e impo an ly, guides us owa ds he desi ed u u e o des ina ion in pe manen
adap a ion o he con ex o each momen .
Finally, he p e ious p ac ices and esul s can be seen o ha e been condi ioned by he size o he
o ganisa ion. Thus, he o ganisa ional cha ac e is ics o SMEs, such as in o mal p ocesses, pe son- o-pe son
con ac , limi ed human esou ces, limi ed inancial asse s, limi ed access o echnology o sho age o ime,
could encou age he managemen o hei knowledge (Du s and Ed a dsson, 2012; McAdam and Reid,
2001). Desouza and Awazu (2006), Hu chinson and Quin as (2008) and Wong and Aspinwall (2005) iden i y
a se ies o peculia i ies o KM in SMEs: (1) P edominance o socialisa ion ac i i y wi hin he p ocess o
knowledge c ea ion. In SMEs, mos o he knowledge is held in he mind o he p op ie o and some key
employees, ins ead o s o ing i o mally. In addi ion, managemen and employees main ain mo e di ec and
cons an con ac wi h each o he , which acili a es knowledge ans e ; (2) In he SMEs, hei membe s ha e
b oad and deep le els o common knowledge. I is knowledge ha is assumed and in e io ised by he
employees and managemen . I helps ma k he beha iou in he wo kplace and p o ides a common e e ence
amewo k ha ensu es communica ion, ans e and applica ion o he knowledge; (3) The companies mus
acqui e and apply new knowledge wi h he pu pose o eaching a sus ainable compe i i e ad an age. A o m
o ob aining i is o c ea e, gene a e, de elop and cons uc he knowledge in e nally. Howe e , mos o he
SMEs p esen limi a ions when pu ing hese ypes o p ocesses in o p ac ice. The e o e, he al e na i e is o
cap u e he knowledge om ex e nal sou ces, wo king di ec ly and co-ope a ing wi h he cus ome s,
supplie s, compe i o s, p o essional associa ions and pa ne s; (4) In en i onmen s o high compe i i eness
and mobili y o employees, he loss o knowledge can be a se ious p oblem. Howe e , in SMEs his is no
seen as a eal p oblem, due o hei high lexibili y, hei common knowledge base o o hei capaci y o
e ain employees, hanks o he close social bonds be ween hem; (5) In SMEs, KM is ca ied ou h ough
wo k mee ings, obse a ion, in aining cou ses o in o mal mee ings, which is o say, ha hey manage
knowledge om a mo e pe son- ocused app oach han a echnological aspec . In his way hey a e able o
sa e ime and esou ces.
Fo ha eason, he p esen esea ch a emp s o each he ollowing objec i es:
1. To e i y he eliabili y and alidi y o he ho izon al eading o he EFQM Model o s udy key aspec s
o quali y managemen and KM.
2. To analyse he ela ionships be ween h ee ans e se axes o he EFQM model (p ocess managemen
me hodology, pa ne managemen and knowledge managemen ) wi h key business esul s.
3. To s udy he mode a ing e ec ha o ganisa ional size can play be ween he ela ionships ha exis
be ween he p e ious a iables.
In o de o answe he p oposed ques ions, his pape is o ganised as ollows. Fi s ly, he li e a u e on QM
and KM is analysed. Secondly, he esea ch model and he hypo heses a e p esen ed. This is ollowed by he
esea ch me hod and esul s. Finally, he conclusions a e p esen ed and he limi a ions and u u e esea ch o
he s udy a e desc ibed.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1. To al quali y managemen and knowledge managemen
To al quali y managemen is a comp ehensi e managemen philosophy o ien ed owa ds achie ing excellen
esul s in ela ion o s akeholde s (P ajogo and McDe mo , 2005). The p inciples and p ac ices o TQM o
p oduce he desi ed e ec s on an o ganisa ion’s pe o mance a e called c i ical ac o s. Among hose mos
s udied in he li e a u e a e: leade ship and op managemen commi men , s a egic planning, con inuous
imp o emen , cus ome ocus, da a-based managemen , human esou ces managemen , p ocess managemen

and con ol and supplie managemen (Sila and Eb ahimpou , 2003). Mo eo e , he e is e idence in he
li e a u e on he posi i e e ec o his managemen philosophy on o ganisa ional pe o mance (Flynn e al.,
1995; Kaynak, 2003; P ajogo and Sohal, 2006; Rahman and Bullock, 2005; Sila, 2007).
Bou-Llusa e al. (2009), Cal o-Mo a e al. (2014) and Kim e al. (2010) show how excellence models o e
a sui able e e ence amewo k ha acili a es he implemen a ion and imp o emen o TQM. In Eu ope, he
EFQM model is he bes -known and mos widesp ead e e ence when in oducing and imp o ing a TQM
sys em. Bou-Llusa e al. (2009) and Gómez e al. (2015) poin ou how he use o he EFQM model
gua an ees ha he TQM p ac ices employed, o m a cohe en sys em.
Wi h espec o KM, i has been gaining impo ance in he ield o s a egic managemen . Acco ding o he
knowledge based app oach, i is he mos impo an s a egic esou ce o companies. This is because he
knowledge based esou ces a e gene ally di icul o imi a e and socially complex (Den o d and Chan, 2011;
Hel a and Win e , 2011; Teece, 2014). This app oach sugges s companies exis o c ea e, sha e and ecei e
bene i om hei knowledge (Ipe, 2003). Thus, companies ha a e success ul a e hose ha can iden i y,
alue, c ea e and de elop hei knowledge asse s (Spende and Sche e , 2007; Kiessling e al., 2009). In he
same way ha knowledge is conside ed a s a egic esou ce, knowledge managemen is conside ed a c i ical
capaci y o o ganiza ional success (Chou, 2005; Chen and Huang, 2009; Van den Hoo and Huysman,
2009).
This ac has mean aking a quali a i e and quan i a i e s ep in he managemen o o ganisa ions, which see
he need o implemen knowledge managemen sys ems o inc ease hei compe i i e capaci y. The
knowledge managemen sys ems a e a se o in as uc u es and ools ha suppo he ac i i ies o knowledge
managemen (Ala i and Leidne , 2001), ha is o say, hey p o ide a con ex ha acili a es he c ea ion,
s o age, ans e and applica ion o knowledge. Meso and Smi h (2000) di e en ia e be ween echnical
in as uc u e (in o ma ion echnologies) and ha o a social and cogni i e na u e (leade ship, o ganisa ional
s uc u e, human esou ces and he cul u e). In addi ion, he e is no one sole alid model o managing
knowledge, bu i depends on he heo e ical ision adop ed and he con ex in which i is applied.
In ag eemen wi h exis ing li e a u e, TQM and KM sha e ac o s conside ed as key o he success in he
implemen a ion o bo h managemen app oaches. Fo example, mo i a ed wo ke s (Alazmi and Zai i, 2003;
Da enpo e al., 1998), employee aining, in ol emen and empowe men , eamwo k (Mo e e al., 2003;
Ryan and P ybu ok, 2001), leade ship and senio managemen suppo and commi men (Conelly and
Kelloway, 2003; Da enpo e al., 1998; Mo e e al., 2003; Yeh e al., 2006), iendly and open
o ganisa ional cul u e (Mo e e al., 2003; Ryan and P ybu ok, 2001; Yeh e al., 2006), p ocesses and
pe o mance measu emen (Alazmi and Zai i, 2003; Hung e al., 2005), benchma king (Hung e al., 2005;
Mo e e al., 2003) and in o ma ion sys ems s uc u e (Alazmi and Zai i, 2003; Hung e al., 2005).
Linde man e al. (2004) go u he , by conside ing ha TQM and KM seek he same objec i e: o c ea e and
use aci and explici knowledge mo e e icien ly, a indi idual and collec i e le el, o con inuously imp o e
and o ob ain be e esul s. Molina e al. (2007) emphasise he impo ance o echnical and social aspec s o
quali y and KM so ha he knowledge ans e p ocess is e icien . Asi e al. (2013) show how a se ies o
TQM p ac ices (con inuous imp o emen , s a is ical con ol o quali y, managemen o clien sa is ac ion,
p ocess imp o emen echniques, indi idual lea ning and he me hods o new p oduc de elopmen ) a ou s
he p ocess o knowledge c ea ion.
In sho , knowledge managemen p ocesses do no make sense i hey a e no de eloped sys ema ically. To
be compe i i e, o ganisa ions need con inuously o gene a e and assimila e knowledge and new capabili ies.
The e o e, TQM as a managemen philosophy based on con inuous imp o emen , inno a ion and lea ning
can se e as a con ex and suppo o he s a -up and la e de elopmen o a knowledge managemen
p ocess.
2.2. Ve ical and ho izon al in e p e a ion o he EFQM model
The aim o he EFQM Model is o suppo o ganisa ions o achie e business excellence h ough con inuous
imp o emen , lea ning and inno a ion. The model p esen s a non-p esc ip i e wo king amewo k which
analyses he ela ionships be ween wha an o ganisa ion does and he esul s ha i is able o a ain, assuming
ha he e a e di e en app oaches o a aining excellence (EFQM, 2013).
The EFQM Model se s ou he managemen o excellence om a concep ual s uc u e, based on a se ies o
Fundamen al P inciples o Excellence upon which all he la e de elopmen o he elemen s o he Model is
based. Ne e heless, when making a de ailed desc ip ion o he implica ions o excellen managemen , he
Model conside s h ee le els o de ail:
 C i e ia (Enable s and Resul s): These ep esen essen ial cons uc s o be able o desc ibe he ac ions and
consequences ha mus de i e om an au hen ic excellen managemen in a comp ehensible manne and
adjus ed o he eali y o he o ganisa ions. These c i e ia a e leade ship, policy and s a egy, pa ne ships
and esou ces, people and p ocess, and he ou emaining c i e ia e lec he esul s which he
o ganisa ion a ains, conce ning hei cus ome s, employees, socie y and o he key esul s.
 Sub-c i e ia: In each c i e ion, he Model se s ou a se ies o sub-c i e ia which de ail he elemen s ha
shape he cons uc on which hey depend. Thei pu pose is o p o ide a mo e speci ic and p ac ical guide
ha ansla es wha each c i e ion de ines a mo e ope a ional le els. I we unde s and ha a c i e ion
ep esen s an impo an cons uc in managemen e ms, he sub-c i e ia can be unde s ood as componen s
o he said cons uc which allow a g ea e applicabili y o he p oposals o he Model.
 Elemen s o conside : In i s maximum le el o de ail, he Model gi es examples, wi hou p e ensions o
being exhaus i e, o wha each c i e ion and i s co esponding sub-c i e ia mean in e y speci ic e ms o
ac ions o consequences ha should be seen i we we e obse ing an o ganisa ion which applies an
excellen managemen .
Two immedia e conclusions can be d awn om he desc ip ion o he gene al s uc u e o he Model: Fi s ly,
he c i e ia, on which he de elopmen o he Model is based, canno be conside ed in a compa men alised
manne , and i should ce ainly no be unde s ood ha a desc ip ion o he ull complexi y in ol ed in he
managemen o an o ganisa ion could be made solely wi h hose c i e ia. Only hose bes sui ed o se e as a
concep ual amewo k o he desc ip ion o excellence a e conside ed. I could be said ha hese 9 c i e ia,
ep esen “a e ical” pe spec i e om which o app oach excellence in managemen . Secondly, he
conside a ion o o he possible cons uc s impo an o managemen oblige a ho izon al eading o he
Model, based on he meaning o each o i s 32 sub-c i e ia. Each o hese ho izon al eadings (“ ans e se
axes”) allows he conside a ion o new ac o s ha allow managemen excellence o be app oached om
o he pe spec i es (Fe nández-San os e al., 2010). In compa a i e e ms, he e ical s uc u e o he model
would be he equi alen o ha used o desc ibe an o ganisa ion on he basis o i s o ganisa ional uni s o
depa men s. On he con a y, he analysis o o he possible managemen componen s, h ough axes, would
be equi alen o he p ocesses execu ed daily in an o ganisa ion and which connec he ac i i ies o unc ions
o depa men s.
Thus, i is easy o all in o he simpli ica ion o seeing he Model as he sum o nine c i e ia wi hou appa en
connec ion be ween hem. Ne e heless, i is impossible o app oach he whole complexi y o managemen
wi hou analysing o he cons uc s o axes (Ma ín-Cas illa and Rod iguez-Ruiz, 2008). These axes in ol e a
mo e e ined eading o he di e en sub-c i e ia, seeking in each hose ideas ha could be ex ac ed o a
be e knowledge o he componen s o he cons uc ha is a emp ed o be app oached. Figu e 1 shows
h ee o hese axes: knowledge managemen , p ocess managemen me hodology and pa ne managemen .
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Figu e 1
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I we assumed ha he conside a ion o each and e e y one o he possible elemen s in ol ed in excellen
managemen would be unapp oachable, we mus conclude ha he analysis o he Model on he basis o
ans e se axes supposes a c ea i e esea ch wo k ha obliges a esponse o he ollowing ques ions: (a) In
each case, which sub-c i e ia o he model ela e o he new cons uc o be s udied (axis), and wha
knowledge is con ibu ed wi h espec o ha ques ion? (b) Fo a mo e co ec unde s anding o he new
cons uc unde s udy, how is each o hese sub-c i e ia in e connec ed wi h he o he s?
2.3. Using ans e se axes o he EFQM model o knowledge managemen
Bena ides and Quin ana (2005), Cal o-Mo a e al. (2015), Ma ín-Cas illa and Rod íguez-Ruiz (2008) and
Wes e eld (2003) main ain ha he EFQM Model cons i u es an elemen o s imulus and undamen al
suppo o KM, and ha he e a e impo an ela ionships be ween he undamen al ac i i ies o KM and he
undamen al concep s o excellence and c i e ia and sub-c i e ia o he EFQM Model (Table 1).
----------------------
Table 1
---------------------
Ne e heless, he e is no c i e ion ha app oaches KM h ough he e ical eading o he Model, al hough a
ans e se axis can be iden i ied o KM. In addi ion, o he axes can be ound, such as communica ion, social
esponsibili y, c ea i i y and inno a ion, human esou ces, p ocess managemen me hodology o pa ne
managemen (EFQM, 2003). Indeed, hese las wo axes (p ocess managemen me hodology and pa ne
managemen ) a e p ac ices cha ac e is ic o excellen managemen ha can a ou and s eng hen he e ec
o knowledge managemen on he esul s (Cal o-Mo a e al., 2015). P ocess managemen me hodology
(PMM) is a c i ical ac o o KM, because he knowledge o he o ganisa ion becomes o malised and mo e
explici h ough p ocesses, which a ou s i s c ea ion, ans e and di usion (Asi e al., 2013; Hsu and Shen,
2005; Molina e al., 2007; Ooi, 2009). Pa ne managemen (PM), apa om he in o ma ion de i ed om
he in e nal p ocesses, he managemen o he in o ma ion and knowledge which comes om hem is
inc easingly impo an (Ju e al., 2006; Molina e al., 2007).
These wo axes con empla e di e en aspec s, al hough complemen a y o he P ocess and Pa ne ships and
Resou ces c i e ia. Thus, he P ocess c i e ion makes wo essen ial s a emen s o he desc ip ion o excellen
managemen : (1) independen ly o he depa men al s uc u e o an o ganisa ion, he iden i ica ion and
managemen o hei p ocesses become key elemen s o excellence; (2) wi hin he whole spec um o
p ocesses ha un old daily in an o ganisa ion, hose ha ha e di ec in ol emen wi h he p oduc s and
se ices p o ided o he cus ome s mus ha e special a en ion, as hey a e conside ed o be key p ocesses.
Howe e , he e is no exhaus i e desc ip ion o he comple e de elopmen o all he ac i i ies o an excellen
p ocess managemen in he P ocess c i e ion i sel , bu i is ex ended o o he s.
Fo example, i e e ing o he es ablishmen o owne s (leade s) as an essen ial phase o p ocess
managemen , his ac i i y appea s among he sub-c i e ia o he Leade ship c i e ion. In sho , o a comple e
analysis o p ocess managemen , an axes based analysis becomes necessa y, ha is o say, apa om
conside ing some sub-c i e ia o he P ocess c i e ion ( hose o a mo e gene al cha ac e ), i is also necessa y
o conside o he s included in di e en c i e ia o he model, such as in he case men ioned o “Leade ship”.
On he o he hand, c i e ion 4 (Pa ne ships and Resou ces) shows ha , when using he e m “Resou ces”
wi h excellence c i e ia, we mus ex end ou ield o ision o unde s and ha no only mus he angible
elemen s linked o he ac i i y o he o ganisa ion ha e space wi hin he cons uc , bu also hose o an
imma e ial cha ac e , undamen ally hose associa ed wi h in o ma ion and he bonds, con ac s, in luences o
o mal alliances wi h hi d pa ies. Bo h elemen s need excellen managemen in consonance wi h he
s a egy and policies o he o ganisa ion. Al hough mos o he ques ions ela ed o he excellen managemen
o he ma e ial esou ces o an o ganisa ion a e included in he sub-c i e ia o c i e ion 4, he e a e many
which conce n imma e ial elemen s and, especially he heme o alliances, a e dispe sed h ough he
emaining c i e ia o he Model.
3. RESEARCH MODEL AND HYPOTHESES
The esea ch model is based on he ex en o which he o ganisa ion can imp o e i s key business esul
(KBR) h ough KM, o which i will ha e o apply PMM, as well as ha ing he pa icipa ion and
in ol emen in he p ocess o i s s a egic supplie s and pa ne s (PM). The KBR a e analysed as a dependen
a iable. This a iable a emp s o de e mine wha bene i s he o ganisa ion is eaching in ela ion o he
planned economic- inancial, ma ke and p ocess esul s and he e iciency in he managemen o he angible
and in angible esou ces. Mo eo e , he ela ionship be ween hese a iables may be a ec ed by
o ganisa ional size.
----------------------
Figu e 2
measu emen in a iance”.
----------------------
Table 5
---------------------
Table 6 shows he esul s o he s uc u al model assessmen . Consis en wi h Hai e al., (2013),
boo s apping (5000 esamples; one- ailed S uden dis ibu ion wi h (n-1) deg ees o eedom) was used o
gene a e s anda d e o s, -s a is ics, and pe cen ile 95% con idence in e als. This analysis was ca ied ou
bo h o he o al sample and o he wo subsamples. The h ee main pa hs a e signi ican , excep o he
PMM and KM ela ionship in he la ge companies subsample. The endogenous cons uc s achie e R2 alues
be ween 0.392 and 0.536 o KBR, conside ing hose alues o mode a e cha ac e (Chin, 2010). In he case
o he knowledge ac o , R2 a ies be ween 0.785 and 0.848. In his case, his is highe han he subs an ial
le el indica ed by Chin (2010).
Fo he h ee conside ed models ( o al sample, SMEs and la ge companies), he esul s e lec ha nei he he
sec o , no he owne ship, ha e a di ec signi ican e ec on KBR, hus con i ming he obus ness o he
p oposed model and he solidi y o he ob ained esul s (Table 6).
The p edic i e ele ance o he heo e ical/s uc u al model is assessed wi h he c oss- alida ed edundancy
index (Q2) o endogenous cons uc s. Since all Q2 alues a e g ea e han 0, e idence was ound ha ou
model has p edic i e ele ance (Chin, 2010). In addi ion, Table 6 shows he amoun o a iance ha each
an eceden a iable explains on each dependen a iable, he g ea e alue being ob ained in he case o he
supplie s/pa ne s a iable when explaining he explained a iance o he KBR (67%).
----------------------
Table 6
---------------------
Also, Table 6 shows ha he indi ec e ec s a e signi ican o he whole sample, wi h signi ican di e ences
being gene a ed, acco ding o he size o he company, in he e ec gene a ed by PMM on KBR h ough KM.
The e o e, in small companies, designing a good PMM om he poin o iew o he applica ion o he
EFQM model can be i al o knowledge gene a ion and ob aining good esul s. In he PM-KM-KBR
ela ionship, he size did no gene a e signi ican di e ences (Table 6).
Once he me ic in a iance was gua an eed in he measu emen model and he s uc u al model es ed, he
mul i-g oup analyses we e pe o med o he hypo heses 4–6, allowing he es ing o he mode a ing ole o
o ganisa ional size on he ela ionships included in he esea ch model. Fo his, he pe mu a ion es was
mainly used (5,000 pe mu a ion un; wo- ailed 0.05 signi icance le el), showing he exis ence o signi ican
di e ences (p- alue<0.05) gene a ed by he size in he PMM-KM (H4) and PM-KM (H5) ela ionships,
he e being no signi icance in he KM-KBR (H6) ela ionship (Table 7). Also, and in a complemen a y
manne , a pa ame ic app oach is applied. The mode a ing e ec is examined using a - es wi h pooled
s anda d e o s. This app oach equi es he da a o be dis ibu ed no mally and/o ha he a iances o he
wo samples a e no oo di e en om one ano he ( Pa am {EV}). In he case o assuming he e a e
di e en a iances o he wo samples, a Welch-Sa e hwai es ( Pa am{NEV}) can be applied (Sa s ed e

al., 2011). Bo h es s ha e been applied in he compa ison, ob aining simila esul s (Table 7).
----------------------
Table 7
---------------------
The same esul is de i ed om he applica ion o he non-pa ame ic app oaches ( he bias –co ec 95%
con idence in e als). In his case, i he pa ame e es ima e o a pa h ela ionship o one g oup (Table 6)
does no all wi hin he co esponding con idence in e al o ano he g oup (Table 7) and ice e sa, he e
exis s no o e lap and i can be assumed ha he g oup-speci ic pa h coe icien s a e signi ican ly di e en
wi h ega d o a signi icance le el α (Sa s ed e al., 2011). This condi ion is ul illed o H4 and H5, bu no
con i med o H6.
Finally, he o e all model was measu ed h ough s anda dized oo mean squa e esidual (SRMR) composi e
ac o model (Hensele e al., 2014). Thus, he alues ob ained o he comple e model (0.075) o la ge
companies model (0.073) and SMEs model (0.079) gi e below he limi ecommended alue o 0.08 (Hu and
Ben le , 1999).
6. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The esul s suppo he eliabili y and alidi y o he measu emen model (Tables 2 and 3), bo h o he model
ha ep esen s he whole sample o companies and o he subsamples ha ep esen he SMEs and he la ge
companies. In addi ion, he p ope y o me ic in a iance is e i ied, ha is o say, he measu emen model
does no change when di iding he o iginal sample in o wo subsamples (Tables 4 and 5). This esul
suppo s he uni e sal cha ac e o he Excellence Models ha can be used as e e ence o e alua ion and
imp o emen by bo h la ge o ganisa ions and by SMEs (EFQM, 2013). Mo eo e , he esul s con i m he
high p edic i e powe (R2) and high p edic i e alidi y (Q2) o he EFQM model as a amewo k o he
implemen a ion and in eg a ion o TQM and KM p ac ices. As can be seen in Table 6, he KM and KBR
a iables display subs an ial R2 alues (R2 > 0.67) acco ding o Chin (2010), bo h o he whole sample and
o he wo subsamples ep esen ing he SMEs and la ge companies. Mo eo e , he endogenous a iables
p esen Q2 coe icien alues abo e 0, speci ically, hey display alues o Q2 > 0.34.
Wi h espec o he di ec e ec s ep esen ed by he H1, H2 and H3 hypo heses, i s ly i is highligh ed (Table
6) ha PMM plays a cen al ole in he comple e model, and in ha ep esen ing he SMEs, whe e he e is a
signi ican di ec e ec on KM (H1). In addi ion, PMM is used wi h mo e in ensi y in he SMEs (0.344) han
in la ge o ganisa ions (0.113). In his sense, in he model ha ep esen s la ge companies, he ela ionship
be ween PMM and KM, al hough posi i e, is no s a is ically signi ican . In addi ion, his causes he indi ec
e ec be ween PMM, KM and KBR o lack s a is ical signi icance. This may be due o PMM being ocused
mainly on he key p ocesses, which a e hose ha ha e a di ec in ol emen wi h he p oduc s and se ices
supplied o he cus ome s. Thus, he SMEs ha e g ea e p oximi y, con ac and knowledge wi h cus ome s,
which is why hei e ec on KM will be s onge and mo e di ec han in he la ge companies (Desouza and
Awazu, 2006; Wong and Aspinwall, 2005), Mo eo e , his esul may be due o g ea e collabo a ion and
coope a ion be ween employees in he SMEs when pu ing key p ocesses in o p ac ice (Du s and
Ed a dsson, 2012), and because he SMEs a e mo e ocused on con inuous imp o emen in hei ac i i ies
and p ocesses. In his ega d, la ge companies can dedica e mo e esou ces o p oduc inno a ion, se ices,
p ocesses o echnology han he SMEs (McAdam and Reid, 2001). Con inuous imp o emen is based on he
human ac o and supposes small bu cons an changes ha do no equi e hea y in es men s o mone a y
expendi u e. On he o he hand, inno a ion in ol es d as ic changes in he p ocesses and ac i i ies o he
o ganisa ion, which equi es ime and an impo an amoun o esou ces, which is mo e easible o la ge
o ganisa ions. The impo ance o his ac o is also e lec ed in he high pe cen ages o a iance (R2) o he
KM a iable in bo h he comple e model (20.4%) and in ha ep esen ing he SMEs (28.28%).
Secondly, he managemen o he main pa ne s o he o ganisa ions is also a c i ical a iable o KM wi hin
he amewo k o he EFQM model. Thus, he di ec e ec be ween PM and KM (H2) is s a is ically
signi ican bo h in he model ha ep esen s all he companies and in he models segmen ed acco ding o size
(Table 6). In addi ion, managemen in la ge companies emphasises he impo ance o PM o KM (0.826).
This alue is a beyond ha ob ained o his same ela ionship in he SMEs (0.581). Fo ha eason he
indi ec e ec be ween hese a iables and KBR is s a is ically signi ican (Table 6). This c ucial ole in he
model is also obse ed when analysing he pe cen age o a iance accoun ed o by he endogenous KM
a iable in he comple e sample (54.13%), as well as in hose o SMEs (46.71%) and la ge companies
(67.65%).
Thi dly, i is necessa y o emphasize how he speci ic e o s ha companies make o manage hei
knowledge ha e a di ec and signi ican e ec on he KBR (H3). This e ec is con i med bo h o he whole
sample and o he subsamples ha ep esen he SMEs and la ge companies (Table 6). In addi ion, no
impo an di e ences exis in he alues o he indi ec e ec s in his case (PMMKMKBR and
PMKMKBR), al hough he ela ionship be ween KM and KBR is mo e in ense in he SMEs (0.722)
han in la ge companies (0.611), explaining up o 52.13% o he a iance o he KBR a iable.
Finally, i he esul s o he mode a ing e ec ha he size a iable exe s on he di ec ela ionships be ween
he a iables o he model a e analysed, i is seen ha he e a e signi ican di e ences (Table 7) in he
ela ionships be ween PMM and KM (H4) and be ween PM and KM (H5). These di e ences co obo a e ha
indica ed in he li e a u e on he dis inc i e ea u es p esen ed by he managemen o SMEs wi h espec o
la ge companies. Mo e speci ically, PMM has a g ea e e ec on KM in he SMEs. This may be due o he
smalle size and he lowe le el o specialisa ion o he wo k o ce, causing a g ea e p obabili y o
collabo a ion and coope a ion be ween he employees, which o a la ge ex en a ou s he p ocesses o
c ea ion, ans e and applica ion o knowledge. In addi ion, as no ed p e iously, he SMEs a e mo e ocused
on con inuous imp o emen h ough p ocesses and no as much owa ds echnological inno a ion (McAdam
and Reid, 2001). On he con a y, he ela ionship be ween PM and KM is mo e in ense in la ge companies.
In his sense, he la ge companies ha e g ea e nego ia ing powe o e hei main pa ne s (G ay and Mabey,
2005) and ha e mo e inancial means o know he mo emen s and ac ions o compe i o s and o he
s akeholde s. Finally, i is co obo a ed ha KM can be e ec i e and imp o e he KBR independen ly o he
size o he o ganisa ion, when he e a e no signi ican di e ences be ween bo h samples.
Manage ial and p ac ical implica ions
O ganisa ions can use he e ical eading o he EFQM Model wi h he objec i e o iden i ying a eas o
imp o emen in each o he nine es ablished c i e ia. Ne e heless, his is no he excellence managemen
philosophy o he EFQM Model. On he con a y, we can iden i y he exis ence o an ob ious i s ho izon al
eading among he agen s' c i e ia and he esul s c i e ia. Fo example, when we analysed he People
c i e ion, we mus simul aneously analyse he Resul s in he people c i e ion. Ne e heless, he e a e many
o he ho izon al eadings, which a e no so ob ious, and which es ablish ela ionships be ween he sub-
c i e ia o he Model ( ans e se axes).
F om he poin o iew o managemen , he use o he axes can be conside ed a powe ul managemen and
imp o emen ool, as i allows us o analyse impo an concep s o excellen managemen using di e en
sub-c i e ia o he c i e ia ha compose he EFQM Model.
Thus, i an o ganisa ion ies o analyse how i is managing i s knowledge, in he con ex o an excellen
managemen , i mus s udy h ee axes: he me hodology o p ocesses, he managemen o pa ne s and he
managemen o knowledge. In addi ion, he ho izon al eading o he Model allows an analysis om he
pe spec i es o leade ship, policy and s a egy, people, alliances and esou ces and p ocesses (Figu e 1).
Speci ically, we will be able o iden i y he a eas o imp o emen o knowledge managemen , wi h espec o
conc e e aspec s (sub-c i e ia) o policy and s a egy (2b), people (3b), and he alliances and esou ces o he
o ganisa ion (4e). Wi h espec o p ocess managemen me hodology, we mus analyse he a eas o
imp o emen in leade ship (1b), policy and s a egy (2b), and p ocesses (5a and 5b). In o de o iden i y he
a eas o imp o emen in Pa ne Managemen , we mus ocus ou a en ion on leade ship (1c), policy and
s a egy (2a and 2c) and he alliances and esou ces (4a). Finally, he p oposed model adds he ela ionships
and syne gies be ween hese h ee key elemen s o excellen managemen and esul s, ha is o say, we can
also analyse he e ec i eness o he ac ions unde aken.
In addi ion, he mul i-g oup analysis allows us o o ien he KM based on whe he he o ganisa ion is small,
medium o la ge in size. Thus, in bo h ypes o o ganisa ions (SMEs and la ge), he de elopmen o alliances
and coope a ion wi h pa ne s is impo an o KM, al hough his aspec is mo e de e minan in la ge
companies. Ne e heless, in he SMEs, he managemen o in e nal knowledge (PMM) is mo e impo an
han in la ge companies. Finally, sui able KM is going o ha e a posi i e and signi ican e ec on he
ope a ional and s a egic esul s o he o ganisa ion, independen ly o he size o he o ganisa ion.
Limi a ions and u u e esea ch lines
The in e p e a ion o he esul s and conclusions o his s udy a e subjec o a se ies o limi a ions, p incipally
o a me hodological cha ac e . The i s limi a ion is due o he echnique used o he p oposed model:
s uc u al equa ion modelling, which assumes he linea i y o ela ionships be ween he la en a iables. The
second is ela ed o he no ion o causali y. Ou s udy conside ed a so modelling app oach o ien ed mo e
owa ds p edic ion han causali y. The hi d, due o he eclec ic na u e o knowledge, i s managemen is
a ec ed by a mul i ude o ac o s, and no all o hem could ha e been conside ed in he esea ch. The ou h
is ha , when in e p e ing he esul s, i is necessa y o ake in o accoun ha he sample co esponds o
Spanish companies, o a speci ic cul u e o excellence and knowledge managemen , and he e o e canno be
gene alised. Finally, he esea ch design is c oss-sec ional ins ead o longi udinal. In his case, wi h a
longi udinal s udy i would be possible o analyse he e ec s o excellence p ac ices and knowledge
managemen on he esul s in mo e de ail.
Some o hese limi a ions allow us o open u u e lines o esea ch: (1) To in oduce new ela ionships
be ween he excellence p ac ices in he concep ual model, as well as be ween hose and he esul s; (2) To
analyse he in luence o o he possible ans e se axes o he EFQM Model, such as communica ion,
c ea i i y and inno a ion, human esou ces o co po a e go e nance on knowledge managemen ; (3) To
s udy he possible ela ionship o excellence p ac ices and knowledge managemen in o he ypes o esul s,
o example ela ed o people, cus ome s o he company; (4) To analyse, acco ding o company size, he
in luence o KM on he di e en ypes o esul s (ope a ional and s a egic), ha o m he KBR cons uc .
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Table 1. EFQM Model and knowledge managemen issues.
Sou ce: Own p oduc ion.
Fundamen al
Concep s o
Excellence
KM issues
De elopmen and
in ol emen o people
Excellen o ganisa ions ecognise he inc easing impo ance o he
in ellec ual capi al o hose who comp ise hem and use hei
knowledge o he bene i o he whole o ganisa ion
Con inuous p ocess o
lea ning, inno a ion
and imp o emen
Excellen o ganisa ions, h ough benchma king ac i i ies, mus
con inuously lea n, and ga he and sha e he knowledge o he people
who comp ise hem, o maximise he lea ning in he whole
o ganisa ion
De elopmen o
alliances
Pa ne s mus wo k oge he o each common objec i es, each
helping he o he s wi h hei expe ience, esou ces and knowledge
EFQM C i e ia KM issues
Leade ship
Re e s o p ac ices ha help knowledge c ea ion: he p omo ion o
empowe men , c ea i i y and inno a ion, o es ablishing incen i es so
people and g oups pa icipa e in imp o emen ac i i ies.
Policy and s a egy Re e s o he need o base policy and s a egy upon in o ma ion on
pe o mance indica o s, esea ch and lea ning.
People
I is necessa y o assess: (1) How he knowledge and he compe ences
o he pe sonnel a e iden i ied, classi ied and adap ed o he needs o
he o ganisa ion.
(2) How aining and de elopmen plans a e de eloped and
implemen ed which con ibu e o gua an eeing ha he abili ies o he
pe sonnel a e adjus ed o he p esen and u u e needs o he
o ganisa ion. (3) How lea ning oppo uni ies a e designed and
p omo ed a he indi idual, g oup and o ganisa ional le el.
Pa ne ships and
Resou ces
I analyses how he o ganisa ion: (1) Manages in o ma ion and
knowledge in suppo o policy, s a egy and objec i es. (2) Iden i ies
he cu en in o ma ion and knowledge. (3) P o ides sui able access o
impo an in o ma ion and knowledge. (4) Uses in o ma ion
echnology o suppo in e nal communica ion and in o ma ion and
knowledge managemen . (5) Cul i a es, de elops and p o ec s he
in ellec ual p ope y o maximise i s alue o he cus ome . (6) T ies
o acqui e, inc ease and use knowledge e ec i ely. (7) Gene a es a
clima e o inno a ion and c ea i i y in he o ganisa ion by means o
sui able in o ma ion and knowledge esou ces.
P ocess managemen
Iden i ies aspec s ela ed o he applica ion o knowledge when he
need is men ioned o manage he in o ma ion ha comes om he
cus ome s o he de elopmen o new p oduc s and se ices.