Leila Namdarian - Assistant Professor of Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology (IranDoc), Tehran, Iran
Somayeh Bahanesteh - MA in Commercial Management, PN University of Tehran, West Branch, Tehran, Iran

In the current knowledge-based era, knowledge is conceived of as the most important property of organizations. Knowledge management is widely used as the major basis for the performance of all educational, banking, communication, production, and even general units. The current study tried to investigate the role of knowledge management in commercial organizations. To this end, the literature was reviewed considering the variables and relevant components were extracted to conceptualize knowledge management and organizational performance and the relationship between knowledge management and organizational performance was presented in a theoretical framework. Based on the results of this study, knowledge management variables are :(i) Knowledge processes (including creation, storing, sharing and applying); (ii) Infrastructural factors (including Knowledge leadership, Information technology, and Organizational procedures and structure). Also, Organizational performance variables are: Financial performance, Goods and services quality, Staff members’ performance, Innovation, and Customers’ level of satisfaction. The relationships among the variables identified in this study are in line with most of the previously conducted studied at both local and international levels.

Commercial organizations, Knowledge management, organizational performance, Knowledge processes, Infrastructural factors