Bridging knowledge management and firm success: the critical roles of service quality and customer relationship quality

Purpose The research purpose to investigate the impact of information management on firm performance through service quality and perceived customer relationship quality in the context of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) companies. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted among upper-middle level unit managers of GSM companies selected due to their wide customer base in the service sector. The survey was distributed via email to randomly selected companies, resulting in a 73% response rate with 728 valid responses after initial data cleaning. However, during the initial data editing and cleaning processes, the answers of 29 participants who marked the same value throughout the survey were removed from the survey. Data analysis was performed using the SmartPLS program to test hypothesized relationships. Findings The analysis reveals that knowledge management has a direct positive impact on both service quality and perceived customer relationship quality. In addition, both mediating variables positively affect firm performance. These results confirm that service quality and perceived customer relationship quality play important mediating roles in the relationship between knowledge management and firm performance. Research limitations/implications The fact that the research is limited to GSM companies may affect the generalizability of the findings to other sectors. Future research could investigate similar models across different industries or geographic regions to confirm and extend the applicability of the results. Additionally, longitudinal studies may provide deeper insights into the dynamic nature of the relationships studied. Practical implications For GSM companies and similar service-oriented businesses, the findings highlight the importance of implementing sound information management practices. Companies can significantly increase their overall performance by improving service quality and customer relationship quality. This highlights a strategic path for managers seeking to leverage knowledge management for competitive advantage. Originality/value The research provides empirical evidence on the critical role of knowledge management in enhancing firm performance through improved service quality and customer relationship quality. By focusing on GSM companies, it fills a gap in the existing literature and offers a comprehensive model that integrates key mediating variables.