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This paper seeks to analyse whether the firm model of employment relationships is associated with functional flexibility and organisational learning (exploratory versus exploitative). It also aims to assess the mediating effect of functional flexibility in the relationship between a specific employment mode (mutual investment) and organisational learning.

This research was conducted using a sample of Spanish companies in the food industry, from which data from HR managers and production managers in each firm were collected. Cluster analyses, MANOVA and regression analyses were applied to test the hypotheses.

The results suggest that those firms developing a mutual investment employment relationship outperform other firms in terms of functional flexibility and organisational learning (both exploitative and exploratory learning). The paper also finds a mediating effect of one dimension of functional flexibility (range‐number of activities) between mutual investment and exploitative learning.

The principal limitation of this paper is the cross‐sectional study design, because the dynamic character of learning would require a longitudinal study design. The main research implications are derived from the combination of employment relationships, variety of dimensions of flexibility and learning, and identification of a model of direct and mediating effects among variables.

The results of this paper suggest that a model of employment relationships (mutual investment) favours not only functional flexibility but also ambidextrous learning. Thus, the findings not only provide a broader understanding of the variables associated with HRM, employment relationships and/or flexibility, but also reinforce the strategic role of HRM through its contribution to the development of such a relevant organisational capability that learning represents.

The paper combined a series of variables that previous studies have rarely treated in combination: employment relationships, functional flexibility and exploitative versus exploratory learning. This paper also discusses different dimensions of functional flexibility (range‐number of activities, heterogeneity, mobility, and uniformity), demonstrating the association of some of these dimensions with exploratory or exploitative learning.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the mutual learning implications for service productivity of the characteristics of service and service production.

This is a conceptual paper. The starting point is, first of all, that productivity as a management concept should help a firm to manage its economic profit, and secondly, that service organizations are open systems, where the customers participate as co-producers and are exposed to the firm’s production resources and processes. Unlike in manufacturing, to understand productivity in service organizations as a means of managing profit, cost effects and revenue effects of changes in the productions system cannot be separated. Due to the interaction between customers and the firm’s resources during service production, dialogical collaboration between them develops. This enables mutual learning.

Given the social dynamics in service production processes, four learning processes that influence service productivity are identified. Two processes enhance the organizations’s internal efficiency (cost savings), and two enhance its external effectiveness (perceived quality, revenue generation); two are organization-driven, two are customer-driven.

The mutual learning model demonstrates how the service provider by learning from the dynamics of service encounters in many ways can manage the productivity of the organizations’s processes. It shows that learning enables improvement of service productivity through effects enhancing both internal efficiency and external effectiveness.

In a productivity context, learning has not earlier been studied as a mutual learning phenomenon.

The purpose of this article is to analyze how learning occurs in inter-organizational online communities, despite highly diverse even conflicting knowledge claims among participants.

We compared two inter-organizational communities in the domain of development aid through inductive qualitative case study.

We found that diverse communities proved more likely to yield conflicting knowledge claims in terms of expertise, value consensus and formal position. However, they were also better positioned for enabling mutual learning, than communities with a more uniform representation.

We provide theoretical insights for knowledge management by showing how the negotiation of knowledge claims facilitates mutual learning in inter-organizational online communities.

The findings are practically relevant for managers of knowledge-intensive organizations by showing how knowledge is shared in diverse online communities. The research also shows that the recognized challenges which diverse communities can yield are likely to be outweighed by their benefits: enabling mutual learning, generating useful expertise and a stronger negotiating position.

The paper conceives of a development approach that is more inclusive of non-dominant perspectives and solutions in decision-making processes, contributing to improved participation of marginalized people in decision-making processes.

We add a new dimension to knowledge management literature, showing how conflict and learning can be a mutually reinforcing process. Contrary to prior knowledge-based views, we found that a diverse community, with a higher concentration of conflicting knowledge claims, facilitated mutual learning more adeptly than a more uniform community. This is important for knowledge management theory and practice because it shows how inter-organizational communities can benefit from heterogeneity, and how conflict can enable and even strengthen mutual learning.

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate information on what creates the different types of knowledge.

In the conceptual model it is argued that the concept of social capital provides an interesting view on the creation of market‐specific and firm‐specific knowledge.

The major finding from the paper is that knowledge is an important by‐product of an alliance forming process, a process commonly termed as alliance learning.

Both market‐specific and firm‐specific knowledge have implications on two main types of alliance learning, that of mutual and non‐mutual learning.

Alliance managers need to be aware that knowledge is a key driver as well as a beneficial outcome in the formation of alliances.

This paper examines how the different types of knowledge evolve and how these different types of knowledge impact upon alliance learning.

The purpose of this paper is to present a framework that captures the strategic value of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Although AI has become a crucial component of digital transformation efforts tied to organizational strategy, many firms struggle to derive strategic value from emerging AI systems.

The analytical framework in this paper is based on a learning-centered approach. Specifically, by building on the knowledge-based perspective, this paper elaborates on how AI can contribute to organizational learning to create a competitive advantage in knowledge-intensive contexts.

This paper argues that the power of AI as a strategic resource lies in its self-learning capacities. Such learning capacities are only realized in partnership with humans through mutual learning. This paper formulates the concept of artificial capital and the ways artificial and human capital can together drive routinization and strategic learning processes that connect internal and external environments of the organization.

This is a timely contribution as many organizations are considering adopting AI technologies for strategic purposes. This paper translates the proposed framework into several practical implications for managing and developing AI to meet strategic business goals.

The construction industry is highly fragmented and adversarial in nature, which has resulted in it being criticized for its poor project performance and lack of innovation. To improve performance, particularly inter‐organizational relations, organizations need to consider the formation of alliances with their project partners. Some construction organ‐ izations are beginning to initiate short‐term alliances with their customers and suppliers as part of a supply chain management strategy. However, such short‐term alliances inhibit feedback, which in turn supports learning and the development of mutual trust and cooperation. It is proffered that construction organizations should consider developing long‐term alliances, so as to enable parties to form learning alliances. The implications of forming different types of strategic alliances/partnering in construction are discussed. An inter‐organizational model that can be used to support learning and is founded on the principles of total quality management (TQM) is described. A case study is used to demonstrate that cooperative relationships can be used to cultivate a culture for reflective learning and mutual trust, beyond merely project‐specific performance improvements.

Notes that strategic alliances provide opportunities for partners to come together and create greater value rather than a basic commercial transaction. Proposes a conceptual framework for strategic relationships and suggests this can be adapted in internationally‐focused or domestic‐oriented alliances. Posits that this framework refers to “learning alliances” aimed at establishing a mutual relationship based on co‐operation, not competition. Shows that organizations develop this relationship through a process which involves elements such as creating a learning environment and having a systemic perspective. Explains that this learning environment enables alliance partners to build a relationship which enhances the strategic fit between the companies for the long term. Discusses the belief that the future success of strategic alliances will be held within the realms of co‐operative learning ‐ learning alliances.

In many Asian countries, education systems are competitive based on high-stakes examinations. Additionally, due to the traditional one-way teaching styles, classroom practices can be highly authoritarian. The issue in such education systems is the alienation of students. They do not learn about themselves; rather, they work toward and/or get distracted by securing their positions according to the standards set by other people and institutions. Many students are thus disengaged from learning and share one common reason for their disengagement: their sense of loss about the meaning of learning is unheeded and they have no opportunity to voice their opinions. Consequently, various sentiments are prevalent, even extremely negative ones, almost equivalent to mutual hostilities. This chapter conceptually discusses the importance of listening in school reform, with special reference to the cases initiated by Manabu Sato and his fellow school leaders, such as Toshiaki Ose and Masaaki Sato. Their approach is known as school as a learning community (SLC) or lesson study for learning community (LSLC); the latter is used herein. LSLC is now widely practiced in various countries in Asia, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. LSLC aims to overcome the negative sentiments described above and establish communal relationships for mutual learning and well-being. To achieve this, teachers in the schools running LSLC always start listening to each other. This chapter discusses how listening transforms hostilities into trust.

In discussing what a firm’s competence is all about and how that is developed over time, the focus has been on how a firm develops its “core” or “distinctive” competence all by itself. The imbeddedness of a firm in networks of exchange relationships and how that impinges on the development and nurture of a firm’s competence has attracted very scant study. The purpose of this study is to deepen our understanding of the extent to which a firm’s networks of exchange relationships influence its competence development. Two empirical case studies have been conducted in that regard. One important conclusion is that a firm’s network(s) of exchange relationships is an asset that can be exploited to develop its competence. An important implication of the study is that it takes a long time and many resources to build exchange relationships that last in our integrated markets. Many resources and skills will be needed to handle relationships, once established.

This paper aims to investigate whether relational agency fosters relational people management using evidence from micro and small enterprises in Uganda, an African developing country. Specifically, the paper examines whether the individual relational agency dimensions (shared learning, mutual cooperation, collective efficacy and interaction enablement) also affect relational people management.

A cross-sectional survey design using a quantitative approach was used in this study. Data were collected from 241 micro and small enterprises in Uganda using a structured questionnaire and were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists.

The results indicate that relational agency is positively and significantly associated with relational people management. Findings further indicated that collective efficacy, mutual cooperation, shared learning and interaction enablement individually matter in relational people management.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study may be among the first to demonstrate that relational agency and its individual dimensions (interaction enablement, shared learning, mutual cooperation and collective efficacy) foster relational people management in the context of micro and small enterprises of Uganda, an African developing country. Consequently, this study contributes to both theory and literature via the cultural historical activity theory, hence, adding to the scant existing literature on relational agency and relational people management.