Structural Equation Modeling to Explore the Relationship Between Organizational Culture Dimensions and Implementation of Knowledge Management in Teaching Hospitals

A knowledge-oriented organizational culture (OC) is the cornerstone of the educational environment and is among the most important factors in knowledge management (KM) among the members of an organization.

This study aimed at investigating the effect of OC on the implementation of KM in teaching hospitals of Qom province, Iran.

This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 570 staff of teaching hospitals in 2017. A standard researcher-made instrument was used to collect data. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by the CVR and CVI. The mean values of these items were 0.88 and 0.82, respectively, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for all items was found to be 0.97. In addition, convergent and discriminant validities were used to determine its construct validity. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling by SPSS and LISREL 8.8.

It was found that 66.7% of the participants were female. The mean scores of KM and OC were 3.35 ± 0.816 and 3.12 ± 1.20, respectively. According to the results of exploratory factor analysis, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure was 0.962 and the Bartlett test result was significant (P < 0.001). The SEM analysis indicated the good fit of the model (χ2/df = 2.12, RMSEA = 0.04, GFI = 0.95, AGFI = 0.93). Moreover, the test results and fit indices showed the significance of trust culture (β = 0.37, t-value = 4.60) and collaboration culture (β = 0.32, t-value = 4.05), whereas learning culture (β = 0.11, t-value = 1.10) was insignificant.

Since the mean scores of KM and OC components were moderate, it is suggested that specific programs be implemented in teaching hospitals concerning trust and collaboration culture issues to improve the current culture. Furthermore, the current model proposed a framework for the improvement of KM implementation in teaching hospitals.