Learning organization and employee performance: the mediating role of job satisfaction in the Vietnamese context

Purpose This study aimed to examine the impact of learning organization (LO) on job satisfaction and individual performance in Vietnamese enterprises. The study further explores the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between learning organization and employee performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 653 employees from various types of organizations in Vietnam. Structural equation modeling was implemented to test the hypotheses. Findings The results revealed that the proposed research model was supported. Results indicated that LOs positively influenced employees’ job satisfaction and the broader range of their individual performance. In addition, employees’ job satisfaction motivated them to achieve higher performance levels. The study also found a mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between LO and employee performance. The results underscore the importance of implementing an LO culture for individual outcomes such as job satisfaction and employee performance in the Vietnamese cultural context, which is based on socialism and Confucianism. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationships among LO, job satisfaction and individual employee performance in the Vietnamese context. The results offer a deeper understanding of the LO concept in the Vietnamese cultural context and highlight the cultural impact on the LO concept and its effects. The results suggest how the LO concept is applied in the Vietnamese context.