KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ADOPTION AND CULTURE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY OF NIGERIA Bridget Abiagam and Abel Usoro University of the West of Scotland, UK abel.usoro@uws.ac.uk and bridget.abiagam@uws.ac.uk ABSTRACT Literature is replete with studies in knowledge management, culture and hospitality. In the case of hospitality, it is because of its ability go grow income whether in developed or developing economies. Developing economies can rely greatly on such income especially when it comes from foreign visitors. Nonetheless, apparently existing studies in developing economies do not combine the three areas; thus, the motivation of this study to examine the effects of culture on KM adoption in the Nigerian hospitality industry. Individuality and collectivism as well as career success and quality of life are considered as two ends of a continuum by Hofstede but this study found them, but this study found them as individual factors that could contribute to KM adoption. Hofstede’s culture dimensions was used along with some variables of technology acceptance model (TAM) to develop a theoretical model which was operationalised into a 45-item questionnaire that was completed by 195 respondents out of the 400 to whom it was distributed in Nigeria. The analysis indicated as significant collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, career success, quality of life, short- and long-term orientation. Conversely, power distance and individualism were not significant. These findings are unique because apparently no earlier research has attempted to examine the culture effect on knowledge management adoption in the hospitality industry of Nigeria. This article presents the findings implication and areas for further research. Keywords: culture, hospitality, knowledge management, developing economies INTRODUCTION There is abundant literature on knowledge management (KM) and its adoption (Huang and Lai, 2010). Much research has also been done using Hofstede’s (1991, 2003) culture model (Robins and Stylianou, 2010). Studies are also common in current literature on hospitality business because of its potential to, among other, generate and redistribute income in both developed and developing economies (Pizam, 2005; Walker and Millar, 2008). Hospitality businesses are very useful sources of foreign earnings to developing economies (Sanni, 2009). Nonetheless, apparently no existing study combines hospitality, knowledge management and culture in the context of developing economies. This study takes up this challenge by examining the effects of culture on the adoption of KM in the hospitality industry of Nigeria. The rest of the paper presents (a) the background; (b) culture and the development of the research model; (c) methods; (d) findings; (e) detailed data analysis; and (f) discussion; (g) rcommendations; and (h) implications to research and areas for further investigations. BACKGROUND Governments, businesses and individuals in both developed and developing countries like Nigeria earn significant income from hospitality industry even if it means from customer’s loyal patronage (Oxford Economics for the British Hospitality Association, 2010). Tipping, profit-sharing schemes, compensation plans and foreign investments are other sources of income (Pizam, 2005; Walker and Miller, 2008). Nigeria, as an example of developing economy earned N680.01 million ($4.25 million) in 1980 (Sanni, 2009, p 30). Hotels, bars and restaurants which make up the hospitality industry rely on information to provide their services. For example, hotels need information that has to be timely and accurate. They also need to know the changing preferences of their customers more so as the internet is giving customers quick and current market information (Buttle, 1986; 1