Juan C. Real

From Entrepreneurial Orientation and Learning Orientation to Business Performance: Analysing the Mediating Role of Organizational Learning and the Moderating Effects of Organizational Size

Following the organizational learning theory and the knowledge-based view approach, this contribution aims to study the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and learning orientation on organizational learning, considering the latter as a mediating variable in the relationships between both antecedent cultural values and business performance. We also analyse the moderating role of organizational size on these previous relationships. The hypotheses proposed in our research model are tested on a sample of 140 Spanish industrial companies, applying variance-based structural equation modelling: partial least squares. In order to assess the moderating effects of organizational size, we adopt a multi-group approach using two subsamples with large firms and small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs). Our findings indicate that organizational learning partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance and fully mediates the link between learning orientation and performance. Likewise, the results reveal that the relationship established between entrepreneurial orientation and organizational learning is more intense for the group of large firms than for the group of SMEs. Moreover, the influence of learning orientation on organizational learning is greater in SMEs than in large firms.

Relationships between human resource management practices and organizational learning capability

Purpose – This paper has three purposes: first, to study whether organizational learning capability (OLC) is related to human resource management (HRM) practices such as selection, development, appraisals and rewards; second, to assess to what extent the value and uniqueness of human capital is associated with OLC; and lastly, to consider the possible mediating role of human capital in the relationships between HRM practices and OLC.Design/methodology/approach – This research was conducted with a sample of companies in the most innovative sectors of Spanish industry, applying the partial least squares (PLS) technique.Findings – The results in this paper demonstrate the direct association of selection and appraisals practices and both dimensions of human capital with learning. Furthermore, developmental practices are associated with the value of human capital, and the selection and appraisal practices are related to uniqueness. Therefore, human capital is partially mediating the relationships between HRM p...

Determinants of Organisational Learning in the generation of technological distinctive competencies

This paper presents an analysis of the influence of Organisational Learning (OL), as a process of knowledge creation, in the development of Technological Distinctive Competencies (TDCs). We also examine how the existence of certain organisational key variables in the OL process, not treated jointly from this perspective, positively affects OL and influences the generation of TDCs. The hypotheses proposed in this respect are tested on a sample of 140 Spanish industrial companies, applying a structural linear equation model according to the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach. Our findings indicate that factors such as Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) of the organisation, its Learning Orientation (LO) and Information Technology (IT) have a positive impact on OL; whereas, the technological distinctive competences are the result of the OL. On the other hand, the EO of the organisation and the IT play an important role in the creation process of TDCs.

Managerial perceptions of employees’ affective commitment and product innovation

ABSTRACT In this paper we examine how managers perceive employees’ affective commitment and how this perception determines their trust as a managerial attitude toward organizational learning capability (OLC). Likewise, we study how managerial trust affects product innovation and OLC. In other words, we carry out a double mediation: firstly, we examine whether managerial trust is a mechanism through which managerial perceptions of employees’ affective commitment influences on OLC, and secondly, we study if OLC mediates between managerial trust and product innovation. By using structural equation modeling (partial least squares) on a sample of 192 Spanish firms we conclude that: (1) if managers perceive employees to be affectively committed, they will be willing to enhance OLC and to trust them; (2) managerial trust favors OLC and product innovation and (3) OLC appears to exert a full mediation between managerial trust and product innovation.