Unlocking employee performance: the role of organizational memory and knowledge withholding in Oman’s telecommunications sector

Abstract Research on employee performance in Oman has primarily addressed economic growth and Vision 2040, but the intersection with organizational memory and knowledge withholding is underexplored. This study aims to identify the mediating role of knowledge withholding behaviors on the impact of organizational memory facets (managerial, technical, and cultural) on employees’ high performance in the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The population of the study consists of employees of the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman (Oman Telecommunications Company Oman-Tel, Omani Qatar Telecom Company Ooredoo). A random sampling technique was used where 250 responses were collected for this study. A descriptive and analytical approach was adopted including multiple regression analysis and structural modeling via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) which was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings illustrate that organizational memory exerts a constructive influence and causal connections on high performance in the telecommunication sector of Oman. This can be elucidated by the notion that organizational memory enables organizations to provide insights from both their successes and failures. The analysis of the study guide and support strategic decisions and prevent repetition of mistakes, ultimately leading to improved performance. The results enhance and consolidate the concept of organizational memory and effective participation among the members of the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman by raising the awareness and providing sufficient recommendation. Applying established concepts (organizational memory, knowledge withholding) to a specific sector and region is considered as potential originality of this study.