Relationship between Knowledge Management Process and Organizational Effectiveness in Clinical Nurses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree and pattern of knowledge management process, and to identify the relationship between knowledge management process and organizational effectiveness in clinical nurses. Method: Participants were 665 regular clinical nurses who had worked for over 1 year in general units of 9 tertiary medical hospitals including 2 national university hospitals, 5 university hospitals, and 2 hospitals founded by business enterprises. Data were collected from March to May 2003 through questionnaires. Four structured instruments were used to collect the data: Knowledge Management Process Scale(Jeong, Lee, Lee, & Kim, 2003), cCommitment Questionnaire(Mowday, Steers, & Porter, 1979), General Satisfaction Scale(CooK, Hepworth, Wall, & Warr, 1981), and one for general characteristics. The data were analyzed using factor analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive analysis, cluster analysis, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, correlation analysis with the SPSS for Windows 10.0 program. Result: 1) The average score for knowledge management process in nurses was on a 5-point Likert scale. In order from highest mean score, the elements of knowledge management process, were Knowledge , Knowledge , Knowledge , and Knowledge . 2) Four knowledge management patterns for nurses, which were derived from cluster analysis, were inactivate pattern, delayed pattern, activate pattern, and high-activate pattern of knowledge management. 3) The degree of knowledge management process activation and 4 elements of knowledge management process, Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Storage, Knowledge Sharing, and Knowledge Utilization, were significantly correlated with nurses' organizational commitment and job satisfaction(p=.000). 4) The nurses' organizational commitment and job satisfaction showed significant differences according to the knowledge management patterns derived from cluster analysis of high-activate pattern, activate pattern, delayed pattern, inactivate pattern(p=.000). Conclusion: These results suggest that there are four knowledge management patterns for nurses, and knowledge management process positively affects the nurses' organizational commitment and job satisfaction. From the above findings, knowledge management process is empirically verified as a useful and effective method to increase organizational effectiveness, and develop the organization.