Knowledge management measures: an empirical investigation of Indian cement industry

The purpose of this paper is to develop knowledge management constructs comprising of KM processes and KM practices through marketing and sales to derive competitive advantage (CA) in the cement industry.

A thorough and detailed analysis of the literature was carried out to develop the measures for KM practices, KM processes and their impact on CA. A total of 65 variables affecting competitiveness in the form of questionnaire were developed. The questionnaire was administered through e-mail to 962 territory sales managers (TSM) and equivalent employed in the marketing and sales function of the cement organizations in India. A total of 121 valid and complete responses were received, representing a response rate of 12.6 percent. The factor analysis was carried out on the data collected to establish reliability and validity of the measures.

A total of seven constructs pertaining to knowledge management practices and processes and competitiveness that comprises of 65 variables have been developed. The statistical results establish that the constructs and the variables considered in the study are reliable and valid.

The sample of respondents for developing constructs consisted of TSM and equivalent employed in the marketing and sales function of cement companies in India. Research scope can be enhanced in the future study by including middle and senior level managers in cement companies to better diagnose and understand perception of KM initiatives across different levels in the cement industry. The work can also be extended to incorporate inbound logistics and procurement that directly contributes to the overall value chain to have a holistic perspective.

The measures developed in this study would be effective management tools for the implementation of knowledge management initiatives in the marketing and sales function to ascertain their level of implementation and impact on the competitiveness.

This study is probably the first of its kind in India to provide KM measures combined for practices and processes to understand the relationship with competitiveness in cement companies pertaining to marketing and sales function. It provides valuable insights as a strategic tool for investing in KM initiatives.