Improving Environmental Management Systems by ISO 9001 in the Spanish Hospitality Sector

Abstract

As the Knowledge Management discipline continues to evolve, socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation remain as key management practices for the creation of knowledge which enables organisations to successfully address environmental challenges. This paper examines the relevance and importance of an ISO 9001 certification as an enabler of Nonaka and Takeuchi's SECI model and the processes of reusing and updating the environmental knowledge of an organisation. These relationships are examined through an empirical study of 87 companies in the Spanish hospitality sector using repeated measures ANOVA validated by factor analysis. The study has direct implications for management practice as ISO 9001 represents a long-term programme to change, and a proactive way to improve knowledge management practices. Therefore, in order to consolidate knowledge management practices, companies need to provide and support organisational structures as ISO 9001.