Impact of knowledge management on learning organization practices in India: An exploratory analysis

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report the preliminary findings of the difference in learning organization (LO) practices across industries. It also reports the impact of knowledge management (KM) dimensions on LO and whether this impact is different across manufacturing, IT and IT‐enabled services (ITES) and power generation and distribution in India.

Design/methodology/approach

In this exploratory study, a convenience sample of 51 respondents from Indian manufacturing, IT/ITES and power generation and distribution industries are taken. Based on the literature, a number of hypotheses are formulated and tested to illustrate whether KM and LO practices vary across industry groups.

Findings

An inference to the research questions suggests that IT and ITES industry score highest on most of the LO dimensions. Testing of hypothesis reveals that most of the KM dimensions have a positive impact on LO. Type of industry did not have any statistical differential impact on the dimensions of LO in most cases.

Research limitations/implications

The study includes 15 responses from ITES and eight from power generation and distribution. A larger sample from these two industries would have been desirable.

Practical implications

Findings of the study can serve as input to organizations to integrate the two disciplines by developing KM best practices to create a LO for improving performance.

Originality/value

While KM has been studied in the Indian manufacturing, pharmaceutical and IT industries, its comparison across industries has not been carried out.

Citation

Chawla, D. and Joshi, H. (2011), "Impact of knowledge management on learning organization practices in India: An exploratory analysis", The Learning Organization, Vol. 18 No. 6, pp. 501-516. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696471111171330