RESPONSIBLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP VISION DEVELOPMENT AND ETHICS

Knowledge management challenges: The case of SMEs
in a competitive business environment
Ana-Maria GERMAN 1 , Mircea BOªCOIANU 2 ,
Cristian CONSTANTINESCU 3
1
Transilvania University, Braºov, Romania
2,3
“Henri Coanda” Air Force Academy, Braºov, Romania
1
german_ana_maria@yahoo.com
Abstract: Knowledge is one of the enterprise`s most important assets that influence its performance and
competitiveness. In a competitive business environment, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should
focus their attention on using knowledge management (KM) to obtain competitive advantage. Different innovative
KM strategies and practices should be implemented to respond to the increasing customer expectation
and market changes. Concentrating on KM and knowledge-based view (KBV), the systematic
organizational management of knowledge can be created, utilized, transferred and shared to develop competitiveness,
innovativeness and productivity.
The paper uses a methodology that follows some steps. Firstly, it is based on a quantitative research to
identify the attitude and the perception of SMEs` managers from Romania according to KM. Secondly, it used
the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP), a method used in strategic decision-making processes. Thirdly, it
used Monte Carlo simulations based on Wiener generalized process. The results offer valuable information.
The aim of the paper is to offer SMEs managers a useful study that helps them to implement, develop
and sustain KM by emphasizing the barriers and the success factors which should be taken into consideration
in the strategic decision-making process.
Keywords: knowledge management (KM), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), analytical hierarchical
process (AHP), Monte Carlo simulation.
Introduction
Nowadays people discuss more and more about a globalized economy, in which organizations
integrate innovative technologies and develop sustainable businesses based on different
mechanisms to survive in highly competitive markets. Disruptive technological progress
and the integration of new dynamic capabilities offer businesses new benchmarks of performance
and an agile response to consumer demands. Knowledge “has been treated systematically
much like other tangible resources and many organizations are exploring the field of