The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning in the Relationship between Knowledge Management and Organizational Innovation (Case Study: Faculty Members of a Military University)

Having up-to-date knowledge and information and innovative behavior in professors is one of the main concerns of university administrators. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of knowledge management on organizational innovation mediated by organizational learning among faculty members of a military university.

This is a descriptive-correlational study. The study population consisted of faculty members of a military university in Tehran in 2018. 110 people were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed using three knowledge management questionnaires Gold, Malhotra and Segars, organizational innovation questionnaire (Jiménez-Jimenez and Peniades and Suhel et al) and Nife organizational learning questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Questionnaires were distributed among faculty members in different faculties of the university and after one week, they were collected. Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling were used for data analysis.

The correlation coefficient between knowledge management and organizational innovation was equal to 0.403 and between organizational learning and organizational innovation was equal to 0.433 (p=0.01). The positive correlation coefficients indicated that there is a direct relationship between these variables and indicates that with increasing knowledge management and organizational learning, the level of organizational innovation increases. Structural equation modeling also showed that organizational learning has a strong mediating role in the relationship between knowledge management and organizational innovation.

According to the research findings, university managers and military colleges can improve the knowledge management and organizational learning conditions leading to the development of innovative approach and behavior among faculty members and thereby increase in the efficiency of the university.