Efficiency and Effectiveness of Knowledge Management Systems in Supply Firms

This paper proposes a 3D fuzzy logic methodology to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of knowledge management systems (KMSs) adopted by suppliers and identifies a taxonomy bringing together the behaviour of suppliers when adopting KMSs. The proposed methodology was previously tested on an individual supplier and then implemented on a sample of 61 suppliers. The results highlight that there is an ample variety of behaviours related to the nature of knowledge and the KMSs used. Specifically, four typologies of behaviour are identified: the efficient and effective supplier, the inefficient supplier, the ineffective supplier, and the inefficient and ineffective supplier. The results show that only 18% of surveyed suppliers are efficient and effective for both KM-Tools and KM-Practices, the remaining 82% are inefficient or ineffective for KM-Tools and/or KM-Practices. Lastly, the paper shows how this methodology may be used by a supplier as a managerial tool to suggest appropriate changes in order to improve the efficient and effective use of KMSs supporting supply firms in the knowledge management process.