The role of knowledge management in small firm virtual networks

Purpose - The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of knowledge management in the development of virtual networks participated by small firms. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews two streams of literature focused on knowledge management in small firms and virtual enterprise. This allows to define an appropriate research question that has been addressed by a questionnaire survey conducted in network of small firms operating in a high-tech sector. This network of firms acts as a virtual enterprise. Originality/value - The main value of the paper is to explore two main gaps emerging from the extant literature on knowledge management in small firms and virtual enterprise. In addition, it provides empirical evidences of knowledge management practices adopted in a virtual network populated by small firms. Practical implications - From the practical point of view, the paper suggests that to fully exploit the potential of virtualisation, small firms need to implement new technological solutions. This means that small businesses need to sustain their virtualisation process through the adoption of technological platforms that allow managing and sharing knowledge more effectively.