Knowledge management antecedents and its impact on employee satisfaction : A study on Indian telecommunication industries

Purpose – Managers in many organizations have indicated that in today's highly competitive environment, knowledge management will be the key to organizational success in this millennium. This paper aims to analyze how the organizational culture and organizational learning impacts knowledge management, and ultimately the satisfaction of employees working in the firm. Design/methodology/approach – A survey instrument comprising organisational culture ethos, organisational learning diagnostics, KM orientation and employee satisfaction was developed. Through a postal and personal survey, data were collected from the telecom sector in India. The sample included 80 knowledge workers, project managers, team members, consultants, researchers and designers randomly drawn from Indian telecom companies. Findings – The survey instrument was shown to be both reliable and valid. Statistical analytical tools such as F ‐test, t ‐test, ANOVA coefficient of correlation and multiple regressions and other descriptive statistics scores have been used. The results of the data analysis revealed sufficient evidence to establish a correlation between organisational culture, organisational learning, KM and employee satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – The accuracy of the analysis is dependent on the accuracy of the data reported by selected organizations. Practical implications – The results of this study would help telecom organisations to better understand the KM discipline, to facilitate its adoption and to prioritise its practices. Academics can use the results to build models that would further expand the KM domain. Originality/value – This study is probably the first to systematically determine the antecedents of KM implementation in the Telecom sector in India. It offers a beneficial source of information to telecom organisations, which are still lagging far behind when it comes to KM practices.