This article analyzes knowledge management in companies with patent and those without patent starting from the perspective of the knowledge production cycle of Nonaka’s model. The objective is to identify the knowledge management practices of the companies with patent, and compare them with those without patent for the purpose of finding possible significant differences. The source of information is a survey given to 70 export enterprises in Sinaloa, Mexico. Using the comparative method, data is treated statistically through a multivariate analysis to identify the significant differences between the two groups: with patent and without patent, which are calculated through non-parametric tests such as the U Mann’s Whitney and the chi-squared. It should be noted that this research was done to answer the following questions: How do the exporting companies from Sinaloa, the ones with patent and without patent, manage knowledge? Also, how is the cycle of knowledge production in such companies? The results of the comparative analysis state that there are significant differences in the knowledge management practices in the companies that and those that do not patent, the first ones unlike the second show more interest in giving “education and training” to its members as part of knowledge creation, but the next link in the value chain is wasted in the storing part; it means the organizational knowledge is created through a complex process that does not follow a specific route. Also, it is observed that the absence of projects that contribute to the integration of actions oriented to the management in the organizations and the use of methods and tools allow its use. So it is required that both groups of companies commit decisively to make the creation of knowledge which is the main objective of their management.