Role of Knowledge Management Strategies in Achieving Competitive Advantage: A Case Study of Amazon

BA Business UOS Dissertation
AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
IN ACHIEVIENG COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE
A CASE STUDY OF AMAZON
Word count: 9278
I declare that this assignment is all my own work and that I have acknowledged all materials
used from the published or unpublished works of other people. All references have been duly
cited.
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
ABSTRACT
Employees are important assets to organization who have contributed to business
activities and functions for the purpose of managing all activities. Management is the concept of
planning, organising, directing and controlling the functions which are used to develop the
business productivity and profitability. The aim of this investigation is to investigate the role of
knowledge management strategies in achieving competitive advantage using the case study of
Amazon Knowledge management strategies outline how an organization will manage and
centralise company information, data and knowledge to improve business productivity and
efficiencies. The methodology used in this investigation is deductive research method positivism
research philosophy, mono-method qualitative research choice, and secondary data collection
method cross-sectional time horizon and case study research strategy. The recommendation for
the respective organization is building knowledge management training, productivity, products
and services along with relations with consumers. Finally knowledge management by comparing
knowledge management data to improve knowledge management processes.
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................2
1. CHAPTER 1 ..............................................................................................................................4
1.1 Introduction................ ............................................................................4
1.1.1 Background to Amazon .....................................................................................................4
1.1.2 Research Aims and Objectives ..........................................................................................5
1.1.3 Research Questions ............................................................................................................5
1.1.4 Research Scope ..................................................................................................................5
1.1.5 Rationale of the research ...................................................................................................6
1.1.6 Research Structure .............................................................................................................6
2. CHAPTER 2...............................................................................................................................8
2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................8
3. CHAPTER 3.............................................................................................................................15
3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................15
3.1.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................15
3.1.2 Research approach ..............................................................................................................15
3.1.3 Research Philosophy............................................................................................................16
3.1.4 Research Strategy .................................................................................................................16
3.1.5 Research Choice ..................................................................................................................17
3.1.6 Data collection .....................................................................................................................17
3.1.7 Time Horizon........................................................................................................................18
3.1.8 Reliability and Validity .......................................................................................................18
3.1.9 Ethics and Limitation of the research .................................................................................18
4. CHAPTER 4.............................................................................................................................20
4.1 DATA ANAYSIS AND FINDINGS...................................................................................20
5. CHAPTER 5.............................................................................................................................25
5.1 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................................25
5.1.1 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................25
5.1.2 Recommendations.............................................................................................................26
6. REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................28
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
1. CHAPTER 1
1.1 Introduction
Management is the administration of an organization where managers are pressure to
formulate planning, organising, directing and controlling the activities which can help to improve
the business functions. This is important for each organization to understand what their
employees want and then offer kinds of products and services that can help to develop the
organizational performance. In other words, management is the involvement of people who
control a business or company (Colnar et al, 2019).
Strategic management is the process of setting goals, procedures and objectives that are
decided for the purpose of attaining competitive advantages. While running a business it is
necessary to offer a range of products by following all planning and strategies that could help to
operate all functions effectively. If there is a lack of planning and strategies, the organization has
to face the challenges that hampered their business negatively. Having good planning and
strategies could be an opportunity for business organizations that analyse the environment and
introduce the services accordingly.
Strategic management is the ongoing planning, monitoring, analysing and assessment of all
requirements that are important to fill and supports to develop the organizational performance
(Chen et al, 2020).
1.1.1 Background to Amazon
The present report covers a discussion about Amazon.com which is an American
multinational company that maintain focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing and artificial
intelligence which are used to develop the business appropriately and maintain higher
performance. This company was founded by Jeff Bezos by analysing the environment and
introduce the products by establishing super-market. The management of such organization
formulates different planning and strategies to run their business and attain the business goals
and productivity.
The company bring innovation and new technology at the workplace that supports to
introduce something new and attractive helps to improve the business performance in changing
environment (Parayitam et al, 2020). This could help to attain the higher business goals and
productivity at the workplace by accomplishing personal and professional goals. The researcher
will make the use of secondary research to collect data and information. The report covers aims
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
and objectives, literature review, research methodology and findings that improves
understandings clearly.
Amazon.com Inc. is explained as American multinational technology company which
focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming and artificial intelligence. This has
been most influencing economic and cultural forces in the world. This was founded by Jeff
Bezos from his garage in Bellevue, Washington. This is important for each organization to
understand what is happening around and how their customers will be influenced to work
effectively so that kind of products as well as services are provided to customers which
supported to grow a business and accomplish the business goals. The company is world's largest
online retailer and marketplace, smart speaker provider and cloud computing services which are
used to develop the business activities and functions properly (About company's background.
2022). The management of company bring the innovation and technology to influence the
number of people and gets work done. This could help to increase the business productivity. The
company understand the needs and wants of their customers then brings the changes in their
existing products as it helps to increase the business performance and productivity.
1.1.2 Research Aims and Objectives
Research Aims: This research is aimed at investigating the role of knowledge management
strategies in achieving competitive advantage using the case study of Amazon. To achieve this
aim, the research has the followings objectives:
Objectives:
 To determine the conceptual framework of knowledge management;
 To explain the significance of knowledge management within Amazon;
 To determine various strategies of knowledge management that could be used by
Amazon to run their business;
 To explain different management challenges faced by Amazon while operating their
business in a competitive environment;
 To identify the impacts of the role of knowledge management strategies on Amazon in
achieving a competitive advantage;
1.1.3 Research Questions
 What is the conceptual framework of knowledge management?
 What is the significance of knowledge management within Amazon?
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
 What are the various strategies of knowledge management that could be used by Amazon
to run their business?
 What are the different management challenges faced by Amazon while operating their
business in a competitive environment?
 What are the impacts of the role of knowledge management strategies on Amazon in
achieving competitive advantage?
1.1.4 Research Scope
The scope of current research is larger as researcher conduct the analysis by knowing the
environment and role of management which are uses for bringing right information. The current
research explains a study that states which research area will be explored in work and specifies
the parameters in which study will be operating. The researcher will come to know role of
management strategies and planning as it uses for bringing higher position by managing the all
functions and activities. This also helps to bring good performance and activities at the
workplace. The current research is about role of knowledge management and its importance
which are used to managing all functions by formulating plans, organise and directing the
individuals for the purpose of doing work and maintaining good performance (Bibi et al, 2021).
1.1.5 Rationale of the research
The current research is about knowledge management which are used by individual for
managing all functions and activities at the workplace. The researcher will improve their
understanding about role of knowledge management and its importance which are uses to bring
information and attain higher productivity. The main reason of research is to improve their
personal and professional knowledge. In context to personal, communication, interpersonal,
management and time management skills can be improved. In context to professional,
knowledge about role management and its related strategies information could be improved by
researcher that can help to maintain higher performance (Latilla et al, 2019).
1.1.6 Research Structure
The research structure is designed by a person for the purpose of conducting study and
achieving potential outcomes. The present structure of dissertation includes introduction, aims
and objectives, literature review, research methodology, finding & results and conclusion that all
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BA Business UOS Dissertation
are important part of research. This could help to develop the all functions as well activities. The
chapters explains what is going to include in report and how to manage the data.
Introduction – This could be explained as basic section which is used by individual to
states what they are going to cover in their project report. This is important to individual person
to analyse the environment and topic that shows relevancy and validity of collected data. The
current research is about role of management strategies and planning which are designed for the
purpose of improving the business performance and productivity. The researcher will come to
know about role of management strategies and planning that are followed to regulate the
business (Martins et al, 2019).
Research Aims and objectives – This could be determined as activity in which aims and
objectives are decided by individual for the purpose of improving business performance and
productivity. In current research, aims and objectives are prepared by individual for
accomplishing their personal and professional goals (Li et al, 2019).
Literature Review – It could be explained as publication of data and information which is
collected by analysing the environment and climate. This is important for each person to collect
the information by bringing the right data verification and attainment of information. The
researcher will come to know regarding importance of strategic role performance that are used to
complete the research in certain period and attain performance (Nwankpa et al, 2021).
Research Methodology – This could be explained as method and procedure which are
used to showing the data presentation and methods of conducting research. This is important for
researcher to analyse the environment and bring innovation that could be used to accomplish the
business goals and productivity. The current research is about role of strategic management and
its importance that are used by employer for the purpose of bringing higher performance and
productivity (Mayasari and Chandra, 2020).
Findings and results – This stage of structure is being used by individual for the purpose
of receiving right information and receive results by designing charts and tables. This can help to
manage all functions and activities under role of strategic management that are supported to
business organization and managing the higher performance (Maalaoui et al, 2020).
Conclusion – This is the ending layer and activity which is used by describing the final
results and information regarding what methods and techniques has been used by researcher to
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