Achieving Competitive Advantage through Knowledge Management Initiatives in Small and Medium Software Industry

Increasing number of small- and medium-scale software companies (SMSCs) has remarkably pressurised them to deliver good quality software products on time at minimum cost. This study attempted to prove that knowledge management initiatives can bestow business opportunities of small- and medium-scale software companies to improve productivity, product quality, flexibility, inter-employee relationships, effective knowledge creation and knowledge utilisation while achieving their cost, quality and time targets. Thus SMSC can gain competitive advantage to sustain their business. We first identified some significant facets which benefit knowledge management initiatives in SMSCs and based on the results of a survey of SMSCs, we proved that knowledge management initiatives have a significant influence on gaining competitive advantage of SMSCs. Therefore, we confirmed that organisation preparedness towards knowledge management initiatives, knowledge management tools and processes, knowledge management education and training and knowledge creation and transformation contribute SMSCs to gain competitive advantage.