Paving the way for CRM success: The mediating role of knowledge management and organizational commitment

• Data from an international sample of 312 hotels (from UK and Spain) is analyzed.
• The process through which CRM technology translates into organizational performance is described.
• A CRM technology, when properly implemented, shows a positive effect on performance.
• Knowledge management and organizational commitment acted as relevant mediators.
• Organizational commitment probed to be the main determinant of CRM success.

Customer relationship management (CRM) has become one of the most influential technologies in the world, and companies are increasingly implementing it to create value. However, despite significant investment in CRM technology infrastructure, empirical research offers inconsistent support for its positive impact on performance. This study develops and tests a research model analyzing the process through which CRM technology infrastructure translates into organizational performance, drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and the knowledge-based view (KBV) of the firm. Based on an international sample of 125 hotels, the results suggest that organizational commitment and knowledge management fully mediate this process.