Systematic Review: Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage

Abstract

In today's dynamic and evolving business world, knowledge management has become crucial for the success of organizations. Effective knowledge management enables companies to collect, store, and utilize knowledge efficiently to achieve their strategic goals and gain a sustainable competitive advantage. This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of knowledge management in enhancing the competitive advantage of organizations by reviewing the literature on the topic from 2000 to 2024 in both Arabic and English.

The literature review covers terminology related to the subject and its emergence, including concepts of knowledge management and knowledge management processes, as well as how to implement knowledge management in organizations through the collection, storage, transfer, and application of knowledge. It also addresses the concept of competitive advantage. In addition, the review includes an analysis of previous studies and recent research highlighting the roles and functions of knowledge management in achieving competitive excellence, contributing to a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing organizations in this context. The review also focuses on conferences, workshops, and scientific associations that have addressed the topic, in addition to tracing the beginnings of studies on knowledge management and competitive advantage and their development over time.

The researcher relied on various search tools for both Arabic and foreign references, such as the Saudi Digital Library, ProQuest, Google Scholar, JSTOR, and ScienceDirect, to ensure comprehensive and diverse coverage of knowledge sources. The scope of sources included scientific journal articles, conference proceedings, workshops, books, and university theses.

The results indicate increasing interest in knowledge management as a means of enhancing competitive advantage and reveal a positive relationship between knowledge management and competitive advantage. This growing research interest is reflected in digital indicators across databases and search engines.