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Organizational learning as a determining factor in business performance

Susana Pérez López (Department of Business Administration, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain)
José Manuel Montes Peón (Department of Business Administration, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain)
and
Camilo José Vazquez Ordás (Department of Business Administration, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain)

The Learning Organization

ISSN: 0969-6474

Article publication date: 1 June 2005

12878

Abstract

Purpose

With the decline of some well‐established firms, the diminishing competitive power of many companies in an increasingly globalized market and the need for organizational renewal and transformation, interest in organizational learning has grown. Senior managers in many organizations are convinced of the importance of improving learning in their organizations. Therefore, it is necessary not only to clarify the concept of organizational learning, but also to establish the relationship between it and business performance. This paper aims to explore this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The degree to which organizational learning influences business performance is investigated for 195 Spanish firms with more than 200 employees using the statistical technique of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results provide support for the view that organizational learning contributes positively both to innovation and competitiveness and to economic/financial results. Furthermore, the results show a positive relationship between innovation and competitiveness and economic/financial results.

Originality/value

Clarifies the concept of organizational learning and establishes the relationship between it and business performance.

Keywords

Citation

Pérez López, S., Manuel Montes Peón, J. and José Vazquez Ordás, C. (2005), "Organizational learning as a determining factor in business performance", The Learning Organization, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 227-245. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696470510592494

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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