Examining the Link among Agility, Knowledge Management Practices and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Electrical and Electronics Manufacturing Firms

ABSTRACT The study empirically investigates the relationship between agility and knowledge management practices on firm performance among the electrical and electronics manufacturing firms in Malaysia. The study was conducted using a survey method. A total of 85 manufacturing firms participated in this study. The findings showed that knowledge management practices mediate the relationship between agility and firm performance, which is in line with the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) where knowledge is an asset of the firm. The findings also empirically support the theoretical conceptualization of agility as co-dependent on knowledge management. The implications for practising managers within manufacturing firms are twofold, where agility alone does not lead to increased firm performance, and the implementation of only one of the factors is suboptimal. Keywords: Agility; knowledge management practices; firm performance; manufacturing; productivity ABSTRAK Kajian ini menyelidik perhubungan antara ketangkasan dan pengurusan pengetahuan terhadap prestasi syarikat secara empirikal di kalangan syarikat perkilangan elektrik dan elektronik di Malaysia. Kajian ini dijalani melalui tinjauan survei, dan menerima 85 respons dari kalangan syarikat perkilangan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa amalan pengurusan pengetahuan mengantarai hubungan antara ketangkasan dan prestasi syarikat, yang sejajar dengan teori Pandangan Berasaskan Pengetahuan (Knowledge Based View - KBV), di mana pengetahuan adalah sesuatu aset syarikat. Penemuan empirikal ini menyokong konsep berpandukan teori, iaitu ketangkasan bergantung kepada pengurusan pengetahuan. Implikasi untuk mempraktikkan pengurus dalam syarikat perkilangan adalah dua ganda, iaitu ketangkasan dilaksanakan secara sendirian sahaja tidak menyebabkan peningkatan prestasi syarikat, dan hanya salah satu faktor yang dilaksanakan adalah tidak optimum. Kata kunci: Ketangkasan; amalan pengurusan pengetahuan; prestasi syarikat; perkilangan; produktiviti