Identifying and Prioritizing the Cultural Factors Affecting the Successful Implementation of Knowledge Management in the Industry of Electronic Insurance Services by Using the Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method

Abstract

Considering the use of knowledge as a strategic advantage in various service industries and the need to identify key success factors for implementing knowledge management in the industry of electronic insurance services, we performed the present study aimed at identifying and prioritizing the cultural factors effective on the successful implementation of knowledge management in the industry of electronic insurance services. After studying the subject literature of the research, we identified six main factors along with 18 sub-main factors in this regard. The study statistical population included 30 managers of companies active in the insurance industry in Iran. Followed by collecting the research data through a questionnaire distributed among the members of the statistical population, we first prioritized the six main factors based on the impact level using the fuzzy network analysis technique, which results revealed that the “knowledge creation culture” factor is ranked first. In the end, the components of each of the cultural factors affecting the implementation of knowledge management were ranked using the fuzzy TOPSIS technique. Accordingly, one can acknowledge that the cultural factors play a crucial role in determining the results of knowledge management efforts. For this reason, the organizations intending to implement knowledge management need to evaluate the cultural factors affecting the successful implementation of knowledge management.

Keywords

• Cultural Factors
• Knowledge Management (KM)
• Insurance Industry
• Fuzzy Network Analysis
• Fuzzy TOPSIS