Document Type : Original
Authors
1 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
2 Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
Abstract
Keywords
Main Subjects
As the knowledge and information age begins, sports organizations must adopt the right tools and strategies to compete, using knowledge to improve performance, innovation, and adaptability. (Karimi et al., 2025; Pashaie & Sotiriadou, 2023). Iranian sports federations face challenges due to managerial weaknesses and a failure to adapt to environmental changes, necessitating innovative management approaches (Karimi & Soltanian, 2024). In the context of sports federations facing rapid changes and complex environments, strategic knowledge management is recognized as a crucial tool for boosting organizational efficiency and innovation. Furthermore, identifying new key performance indicators tailored to the sports industry underscores the need to apply strategic management principles to navigate this evolving landscape (Jeradat & Estan, 2023). Ultimately, organizations must cultivate a culture of learning and knowledge sharing, optimizing processes and strengthening their competitive edge in a changing world through data management (Sulaiman et al., 2023; Rajic et al., 2023). By facilitating internal collaboration and better understanding customer needs, knowledge management not only supports innovation but also helps organizations maintain their competitive advantage through informed decision-making and optimal resource utilization (Dimitrakaki, 2024). Additionally, successful implementation of knowledge management requires a cultural shift in organizations, emphasizing the importance of leadership commitment and creating a learning environment to maximize the benefits of knowledge as a strategic asset (Fierro & Benalil, 2024). Effective knowledge management practices significantly contribute to organizational performance and sustainability in a constantly changing environment (Rajic et al., 2023; Fierro & Benalil, 2024). Codified knowledge management, by effectively storing, organizing, and transferring knowledge, strengthens organizational resilience and decision-making in critical situations and promotes a culture of learning and innovation. Furthermore, integrated information systems help optimize processes and utilize past experiences. Investing in this area is an effective strategy to increase flexibility in competitive environments (Zaerkabeh et al., 2024; Fierro & Benalil, 2024).
Knowledge management, as a strategic pillar, enables organizations to effectively collect, store, and disseminate knowledge, enhancing their ability to respond to rapid changes like globalization and technological advancements (Sulaiman et al., 2023). Strategic knowledge management is crucial for achieving strategic ambidexterity, enabling organizations to balance exploration and exploitation. This approach helps manage intellectual capital, fostering innovation and adaptation in dynamic markets (Goi et al., 2023). Integrating knowledge strategies into strategic management enables organizations to navigate uncertainties and leverage knowledge as a strategic resource, thereby enhancing their competitive advantage (Bratianu & Bolisani, 2015). Research indicates that organizations with stronger knowledge management practices exhibit more innovative activity and demonstrate greater readiness to tackle external challenges (Goi et al., 2023). Moreover, the relationship between strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity has been empirically confirmed, revealing its impact on balancing short-term performance and long-term adaptability (Fisal & Hamed, 2022). The concept of ambidexterity has also been extended to organizations, serving as a metaphor for those capable of simultaneously engaging in exploratory (search and innovation) and exploitative (resource and process optimization) activities (Wang & Gibbons, 2020). This capability enables organizations to innovate and maintain continuous improvement in their processes and products in today's changing and challenging environments. Organizational ambidexterity is recognized as a key attribute for resilience and long-term success in the face of market competition and environmental changes (Chakma et al., 2021). Organizational ambidexterity refers to an organization's ability to manage exploratory and exploitative activities simultaneously, playing a crucial role in the organization's sustainability and success in dynamic environments (Shafique et al., 2022). This concept focuses on balancing innovation and efficiency, enabling organizations to both utilize existing capabilities and explore new opportunities (Restuputri et al., 2024). A key factor in achieving organizational ambidexterity is knowledge management, which facilitates information flow and enhances organizational learning capacity, enabling simultaneous exploration and exploitation (Garousi Mokhtarzadedeh et al., 2022). In this regard, organizational structure also plays a moderating role and can optimize efficiency and innovation through appropriate design of organizational processes (Shafique et al., 2022). The role of information systems and knowledge management technology in promoting organizational ambidexterity is highly significant. These systems can help balance the use of existing knowledge and the discovery of new knowledge, improving efficiency and innovation (Shrestha & Saratchandra, 2023). On the other hand, business internationalization also has a significant impact on organizational ambidexterity by facilitating knowledge exchange and access to new resources (Ubeda-Garcia et al., 2021). Furthermore, open innovation is considered an important factor in strengthening organizational ambidexterity. Interaction with external actors and the use of new ideas from the external environment can lead to the creation of an ambidextrous organization that is both capable of exploiting existing capacities and discovering new opportunities (Nobakht et al., 2021). Ultimately, organizations that can balance exploitation and exploration will perform better in the face of environmental uncertainties and experience sustainable competitive advantage (Restuputri et al., 2024).
Studies on the impact of strategic knowledge management on organizational ambidexterity have yielded diverse results. Trivedi and Srivastava (2025) concluded that strategic HR practices significantly and positively influence knowledge management processes and competitive capabilities, including differentiation and cost-effectiveness. Allur et al. (2025) emphasized the importance of knowledge for sustainable development, highlighting that Knowledge Management (KM) plays a crucial role in fostering sustainable organizational growth by integrating organizational knowledge to ensure long-term success. Mubarak et al. (2025) found that knowledge exploration and exploitation are crucial for open innovation, with balanced effects on product development. They highlight the importance of integrating external knowledge with internal processes and recommend prioritizing strategic foresight and balanced knowledge management for better outcomes in competitive environments. Akbar et al. (2024), in their research titled "Responsible Leadership and Sustainable Outcomes: A Multi-Study Perspective of Individual Ambidexterity and Knowledge Sharing Culture in Tourism," emphasize the importance of responsible leadership and knowledge sharing culture as effective factors in strengthening organizational ambidexterity. They demonstrate that individual ambidexterity and knowledge sharing culture can contribute to improving sustainable outcomes and organizational performance. Borini et al. (2022) examined the varying roles of organizational ambidexterity and organizational innovation in the reverse knowledge transfer process in subsidiaries. The results of this study showed that organizational ambidexterity significantly affects the success of knowledge transfer, and organizational innovation also acts as a key factor in this process. Chang et al. (2022) also studied the impact of knowledge management on promoting ambidexterity and performance. They showed that senior management teams that improve ambidexterity strategies using bricolage practices (combining various resources) can enhance organizational performance. Da’as (2022) also showed in his research that school principals' attention to their attention span and their ambidexterity affects teachers' creativity and knowledge sharing, and these factors can lead to improved educational performance. Shafique et al. (2022) examined the relationship between knowledge management capability and innovation ambidexterity and found that organizational structure as a moderating variable can increase the impact of knowledge management on organizational ambidexterity. Restuputri et al. (2024) showed in another study that knowledge management plays an important role in improving organizational performance through organizational ambidexterity in uncertain conditions. They emphasized that organizations that simultaneously focus on exploratory and exploitative activities perform better in changing environmental conditions. Garousi Mokhtarzadedeh et al. (2022), by examining the impact of knowledge management capability on entrepreneurial creativity and entrepreneurial intensity, found that organizational ambidexterity as a mediating variable can improve company performance. Shrestha and Saratchandra (2023) presented a conceptual framework for knowledge ambidexterity using information systems and knowledge management and showed that the use of these systems can facilitate the balance between exploration and exploitation. Ubeda-Garcia et al. (2021) examined the impact of knowledge management on internationalization, organizational ambidexterity, and the performance of Spanish hotel chains and found that organizational ambidexterity plays an important role in the success of international businesses. Also, Nobakht et al. (2021) studied the relationship between open innovation and organizational ambidexterity and showed that entrepreneurial orientation can moderate this relationship. The findings of these studies show that organizational ambidexterity is a key factor in creating sustainable competitive advantage and organizations that can balance exploitation and exploration will perform better in changing environments.
Sports federations, as governing bodies for sports at national and international levels, are responsible for directing, supervising, and managing sports activities. Given that sports have become one of the most significant tools for cultural, social, economic, and even political development across countries, the proper and efficient functioning of these federations can have profound impacts both nationally and internationally. In this regard, the team sports federations, such as football, volleyball, basketball, handball, hockey, and baseball, as well as the individual sports federations, including wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, karate, table tennis, and athletics, hold particular importance. These federations are significant not only in terms of the number of athletes and enthusiasts but also due to their social and economic influence. In this context, one of the main challenges faced by sports federations is the inability to adapt to environmental changes and effectively leverage organizational knowledge. Often, these federations struggle with balancing exploration (i.e., developing innovation and seeking new opportunities) and exploitation (i.e., making optimal use of existing resources) in their strategic decision-making processes. In such cases, strategic knowledge management is crucial for achieving strategic ambidexterity (the ability to simultaneously adapt to changes while exploiting existing resources), especially in sports federations. This management helps organizations effectively use existing knowledge while creating an environment conducive to innovation and adaptation to changing circumstances. However, existing studies in the fields of strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity within organizations, particularly in Iranian sports federations, are quite limited, and there is a clear research gap. Most existing studies have either separately examined knowledge management or organizational ambidexterity or have been conducted in more general sectors, such as government organizations or industries. In contrast, Iranian sports federations, due to their unique characteristics, such as complex structures, professional levels, and the need for alignment with national and international programs, require a comprehensive and effective strategic management model. The research gap in this area is evident. Previous studies have not specifically addressed the interaction between strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity in the context of sports federations, particularly in Iran. This gap highlights the need for research investigating how strategic knowledge management can be used to achieve strategic ambidexterity and improve the performance of sports federations. This study can specifically assist team sports federations and individual sports federations, each with its own characteristics and challenges, in developing strategic solutions that balance knowledge exploitation and innovation. This research could significantly contribute to sports federations by providing innovative strategic frameworks for leveraging existing knowledge while fostering an environment conducive to exploration and innovation. Furthermore, the findings could help improve the performance of these federations, particularly in international competitions, enabling them to better handle everyday challenges and adapt more effectively to environmental changes. Given the increasing need for innovation and performance improvement within Iranian sports federations, and the clear research gap in this area, this study aims to explore the impact of strategic knowledge management on strategic ambidexterity in Iranian sports federations. It seeks to identify practical models and solutions for improving managerial and strategic processes within these federations. Therefore, the research aims to answer the following key question:
How does strategic knowledge management contribute to achieving strategic ambidexterity in Iranian sports federations?
Methodology
This study is quantitative in approach, as it utilizes numerical data to examine the relationships between the research variables, and statistical analyses are conducted based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). In terms of objective, it is considered applied, as its findings can contribute to improving strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity in sports federations. Regarding nature and method, it is descriptive-correlational, as the aim of the research is to investigate the relationship between strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity, with the variables being examined without manipulation in their natural settings. Regarding the data collection method, it is survey-based, as information is gathered through standardized questionnaires in a field setting. In this study, stratified random sampling was used to select a representative sample from sports federations across the country. For this purpose, federations were divided into two categories: team sports federations and individual sports federations. Six federations were randomly selected from each group, resulting in a total of 12 federations selected from 25 existing federations. The team sports federations included football, volleyball, basketball, handball, hockey, and baseball, while the individual sports federations included wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo, karate, table tennis, and athletics. These federations were chosen due to their organizational complexity, professional level, and their impact on national and international sports performance, ensuring the collection of diverse and comprehensive data. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires, which included two standardized instruments: the Strategic Knowledge Management Questionnaire by Lopez and Meroner (2011), which measures both codified and personal knowledge management, and the Strategic Ambidexterity Questionnaire by Jansen et al. (2008), which assesses two components—exploration and exploitation. Both questionnaires were scored based on a Likert scale. The validity and reliability of the instruments were examined through various methods: content and face validity were confirmed by six sports management experts, and construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. The reliability of the instruments was calculated using Cronbach's alpha, with all components achieving values greater than 0.79, indicating high internal consistency. The data collection process involved distributing both physical and electronic questionnaires among the employees of the selected federations. The research population consisted of 750 employees from the federations, and based on Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, a minimum of 159 participants was required for data analysis. However, to compensate for potential sample attrition due to non-returned or incomplete questionnaires, 250 questionnaires were distributed. Follow-up efforts, including emails, phone calls, and in-person visits, were made to increase the response rate. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the research hypotheses. Additionally, skewness and kurtosis tests were conducted to assess the normal distribution of the data, and inferential statistical methods were applied to examine the relationships between strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity in the sports federations.
Findings
The results show that the age distribution of employees in the selected sports federations is as follows: 10.5% of employees are under 25 years old, 31.8% are between 26 and 35 years old, 42.2% are between 36 and 45 years old, and 15.5% are over 45 years old. Also, regarding the work experience of employees, 27.3% have less than 3 years of experience, 22.3% have between 3 and 5 years, 28.2% have between 6 and 10 years, and 22.2% have more than 10 years of work experience. Regarding the strategic knowledge management variable, the mean score of this variable was 35.45 with a standard deviation of 7.90. The highest mean score belonged to codified knowledge management with a mean of 18.34 and a standard deviation of 4.43, while the lowest mean was related to personal knowledge management with a mean of 17.10 and a standard deviation of 4.50.
Table 1- Test of Normality for Variables and Research Components in terms of Skewness and Kurtosis
|
Variables |
Kurtosis |
Skewness |
|
Strategic Knowledge Management |
-0.557 |
-0.088 |
|
Codified Knowledge Management |
-0.774 |
0.098 |
|
Personal Knowledge Management |
-0.304 |
-0.791 |
|
Strategic Ambidexterity |
-1.123 |
1.593 |
|
Exploration |
-0.938 |
0.886 |
|
Exploitation |
-1.014 |
1.421 |
The results of Table 1 indicate that all variances and expansions of strategic knowledge management and strategic ambidexterity variables and their components are within the specified limit values. Therefore, the assumption of normality for all variables is maintained.
Table 2- Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the Validity of the Strategic Knowledge Management Questionnaire
|
Manifest Variables |
Factor Loading (λ) |
T-value |
R² |
|
1. Knowledge (knowledge, technical skills, or problem-solving methods) is well codified in your federation. |
0.76 |
12.69 |
0.58 |
|
2. In your federation, knowledge can easily be obtained through books and official documents. |
0.82 |
14.24 |
0.68 |
|
3. Project and meeting results should be documented in your federation. |
0.67 |
10.68 |
0.45 |
|
4. Knowledge in your federation is shared through codified forms such as writings and official documents. |
0.84 |
14.54 |
0.7 |
|
5. In your federation, knowledge is obtained through experts and colleagues. |
0.74 |
11.84 |
0.55 |
|
6. In your federation, face-to-face consultation with experts is possible. |
0.85 |
14.17 |
0.72 |
|
7. In your federation, knowledge sharing, discussions, and informal meetings take place. |
0.57 |
8.61 |
0.33 |
|
8. In your federation, knowledge is obtained through one-on-one consultations. |
0.52 |
7.65 |
0.27 |
The results of confirmatory factor analysis for the strategic knowledge management questionnaire indicate that the measurement model has good validity. The factor loadings of manifest variables range from 0.52 to 0.85, indicating a strong relationship between these variables and the strategic knowledge management construct. The variable "face-to-face consultation with experts is possible in your federation" has the highest impact with a factor loading of 0.85 and a T-value of 14.17. On the other hand, the variable "knowledge is obtained through one-on-one consultations" shows the weakest correlation with a factor loading of 0.52. Model fit indices (Chi-Square = 133.26, RMSEA = 0.076, GFI = 0.92, CFI = 0.95) indicate that the model fits the data well and the questionnaire has good validity and reliability.
Table 3- Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the Validity of the Strategic Ambidexterity Questionnaire
|
Manifest Variables |
Factor Loading (λ) |
T-value |
R² |
|
1. In our federation, we accept demands beyond existing services. |
0.62 |
9.83 |
0.39 |
|
2. In our federation, we create new services. |
0.76 |
12.86 |
0.58 |
|
3. In the environment around our federation, we try new services. |
0.74 |
12.48 |
0.55 |
|
4. In our federation, we provide new services that are completely new to us. |
0.78 |
13.26 |
0.6 |
|
5. In our federation, we always use new opportunities in new environments. |
0.79 |
13.64 |
0.63 |
|
6. In our federation, we always use new service delivery channels. |
0.64 |
10.2 |
0.41 |
|
7. In our federation, we are always looking for new audiences in new environments. |
0.63 |
10.12 |
0.4 |
|
8. In our federation, we always review the perspective of existing services. |
0.72 |
11.94 |
0.52 |
|
9. In our federation, we always make small changes in the provision of current services. |
0.68 |
11.09 |
0.47 |
|
10. In our federation, we introduce existing but modified services into the surrounding environment. |
0.66 |
10.54 |
0.43 |
|
11. In our federation, we improve the efficiency of existing services. |
0.67 |
10.88 |
0.45 |
|
12. In our federation, we develop the level of economic activity in existing environments. |
0.73 |
12.01 |
0.53 |
|
13. In our federation, we expand the services provided to existing customers. |
0.77 |
13.09 |
0.59 |
|
14. One of the goals of our federation is to reduce the cost of internal federation processes. |
0.62 |
9.88 |
0.39 |
The results of confirmatory factor analysis for the strategic ambidexterity questionnaire indicate that the measurement model has appropriate validity. The factor loadings of manifest variables range from 0.62 to 0.79, indicating an acceptable relationship between these variables and the strategic ambidexterity construct. The highest factor loading is related to the variable "In our federation, we always use new opportunities in new environments" with a value of 0.79, which indicates the importance of this dimension in strategic ambidexterity. On the other hand, the variable "In our federation, we accept demands beyond existing services" shows the weakest correlation with a factor loading of 0.62. Model fit indices (Chi-Square = 350.20, RMSEA = 0.076, GFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.98) indicate that the model fits the data well and the questionnaire has appropriate validity and reliability.
Table 4- Model Output Results
|
Research Paths |
β |
T-Value |
R² |
|
H1: Strategic Knowledge Management → Strategic Ambidexterity |
0.81 |
8.49 |
0.65 |
|
H2: Codified Knowledge Management → Strategic Ambidexterity |
0.75 |
5.94 |
0.56 |
|
H3: Personal Knowledge Management → Strategic Ambidexterity |
0.08 |
0.72 |
0.006 |
|
H4: Strategic Knowledge Management → Exploration |
0.83 |
8.67 |
0.7 |
|
H5: Strategic Knowledge Management → Exploitation |
0.86 |
10.58 |
0.75 |
The results of Table 4 show that strategic knowledge management has a high impact on strategic ambidexterity, with a path coefficient of 0.81 and a T-value of 8.49, indicating a strong and significant relationship. Also, the R² value of 0.65.
Discussion
This section analyzes the research findings, highlighting the relationship between strategic knowledge management and organizational ambidexterity in Iranian sports federations. The results confirm the significant role of strategic knowledge management in enhancing organizational performance and innovation in dynamic environments. The interpretation of hypotheses and variable relationships underscores the practical applications of these findings for improving management strategies in sports federations and similar organizations.
The findings of this study indicate that strategic knowledge management has a significant impact on the strategic ambidexterity of organizations, with a path coefficient (β) of 0.81 and a T-value of 8.49. This strong and positive relationship emphasizes that strategic knowledge management plays a crucial role in enabling organizations to simultaneously explore and exploit different strategies in dynamic and complex environments. Organizations that effectively implement strategic knowledge management can respond swiftly to environmental changes, identify new opportunities, and optimize existing capabilities. This leads to improved organizational performance and the establishment of a sustainable competitive advantage.
The study’s findings reveal significant insights regarding the role of knowledge management (KM) in fostering organizational strategic ambidexterity, adaptability, and overall performance. The results highlight that strategic knowledge management is a fundamental driver of ambidextrous strategies—the simultaneous pursuit of innovation (exploration) and efficiency (exploitation). Specifically, the study found that organizations that utilize codified knowledge management systems demonstrate enhanced ability to balance exploration and exploitation, leading to improved organizational flexibility and performance. The path coefficient (β) of 0.75 and T-value of 5.94 indicate that organizations with formalized knowledge systems manage their ambidextrous strategies more effectively. Additionally, the study identifies that strategic knowledge management significantly influences exploration (β = 0.83, T = 8.67) and exploitation (β = 0.86, T = 10.58), enabling organizations to better identify opportunities and leverage existing resources for competitive advantage. However, the study also found that personal knowledge management had less impact on strategic ambidexterity (β = 0.08, T = 0.72), suggesting that personal knowledge management might be less effective in environments with integrated organizational systems and strong cultures.
These results are consistent with previous research emphasizing the importance of knowledge management in organizational performance and adaptability. Akbar et al. (2024) and Burini et al. (2022) demonstrated that knowledge management is crucial for balancing exploration and exploitation, allowing organizations to effectively respond to market dynamics. Similarly, Chang et al. (2022) noted that knowledge-sharing processes and a culture of innovation significantly contribute to organizational ambidexterity. Their studies support the view that strategic knowledge management is a vital factor in enabling organizations to pursue both innovation and operational efficiency concurrently. Moreover, research by Zaerkabeh et al. (2024) and Fierro & Benalil (2024) highlighted the role of codified knowledge systems in crisis situations, where formalized systems enhance resilience and decision-making capabilities. These studies align with the current findings and further emphasize the need for advanced knowledge management systems and decision support tools to enhance organizational flexibility and performance.
Practical Suggestions for Iranian Sports Federations
Limitations of the Study
Despite offering valuable findings, this study is subject to several limitations that must be acknowledged. First, the sampling for this study was limited to specific sports federations, and the results may not be generalizable to all federations in different countries. Cultural, structural, and strategic differences among federations can significantly influence how knowledge management strategies are implemented. Second, this research focused solely on certain aspects of knowledge management, and other factors that may affect the performance of federations, such as financial resources, government policies, and economic conditions, may have been overlooked. These factors could have indirect but significant impacts on the effectiveness of knowledge management strategies. Additionally, the data collected were primarily through self-assessment questionnaires, which may have been influenced by the respondents' biases or personal perspectives. Self-assessments, in particular, may lead to reporting bias, as individuals tend to present themselves in more favorable positions than they actually occupy.
Suggestions for Future Research
For future research, it is recommended that similar studies be conducted across various sports federations and on a larger scale to enable more comprehensive generalization of the results. Examining the interactions between knowledge management strategies and other organizational variables, such as organizational culture and leadership, can help to better understand the implementation processes of these strategies. Additionally, future studies should focus on exploring methods to improve the implementation of knowledge management and strengthen the culture of learning within organizations. Furthermore, it is suggested that further research be conducted on the use of data analysis tools to predict environmental threats and opportunities. Analytical tools can assist federations in identifying rapid environmental changes and adopting effective strategies to address them.
Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate that strategic knowledge management plays a pivotal role in achieving strategic ambidexterity within Iranian sports federations. This is particularly crucial in dynamic and complex environmental conditions where organizations must balance the exploitation of existing resources with the exploration of new opportunities. The results confirm that organizations capable of effectively implementing strategic knowledge management can concurrently enhance their capabilities in both exploration and exploitation, thereby improving their performance and competitive advantage. Given the significant impact of codified knowledge management on strategic ambidexterity, organizations should place a strong emphasis on developing and strengthening structured and codified knowledge management systems. These systems not only facilitate knowledge storage and sharing but also foster a culture of learning and innovation. Conversely, the results indicated that personal knowledge management has a minimal effect on strategic ambidexterity, suggesting the importance of focusing on collective and organizational systems over individual knowledge. Ultimately, this research underscores the necessity for Iranian sports federations to develop and implement effective strategic knowledge management practices across all organizational levels. Establishing comprehensive knowledge management systems, empowering human resources through training, promoting a knowledge-driven organizational culture, creating an experiential and historical knowledge bank, and designing strategic ambidexterity evaluation processes are among the key actions that can assist these organizations in achieving their strategic objectives.
We thank all managers and employees of Iranian sports federations for their participation in this research.
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
This work was supported only by the authors.
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