Internet of things as an enabler of knowledge management in manufacturing firms: does supply chain visibility mediate?

Purpose The purpose of the study is to assess the enabling role of Internet of Things on knowledge management in manufacturing firms and if supply chain visibility mediates this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study was a quantitative study. Survey data was collected from 205 manufacturing firms within the Ghana Free Zones area. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationship. Findings The findings revealed that automation and connectivity have significant positive effects on knowledge acquisition, knowledge generation, and supply chain visibility, while interoperability and real-time data do not have significant effects. Supply chain visibility does not significantly mediate the relationships between IoT dimensions and knowledge management processes. Originality/value The study contributes to the limited literature by demonstrating the enabling role of IoT dimensions on knowledge management process and the mediating role of supply chain visibility in the context of manufacturing firms in emerging markets.