Organizational Learning of Absorptive Capacity and Innovation: Does Leadership Matter?

Darwish, Tamer K ORCID: 0000-0003-1815-9338, Zeng, Jing, Rezaei Zadeh, Mohammad and Haak-Saheem, Washika (2020) Organizational Learning of Absorptive Capacity and Innovation: Does Leadership Matter? European Management Review, 17 (1). pp. 83-100. doi:10.1111/emre.12320

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Abstract

Following the process-based definition of absorptive capacity, this study seeks to explore the mediating role of transformational and transactional leadership styles in the relationship between the three learning processes of absorptive capacity and innovation. Based on a survey in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was found that transformational leadership mediates the relationship between exploratory and transformational learning processes and innovation. It was also found that transactional leadership did not mediate the relationship between the internal exploitative learning process and innovation. Whilst several researchers have noted a need to develop a better theoretical understanding of the mechanisms explaining the interplay between absorptive capacity and innovation, we provide theoretical explanations of the underlying mechanism and further offer explanations as to why some firms are better able to convert external knowledge into strategic innovations when compared with others. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are delineated. Keywords: Absorptive capacity, learning processes, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, innovation.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Absorptive capacity; Learning processes; Transformational leadership; Transactional leadership; Innovation
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business > HF5549 Personnel management. Employment management
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences
Research Priority Areas:	Applied Business & Technology
Depositing User:	Tamer Darwish
Date Deposited:	04 Jul 2018 15:45
Last Modified:	03 Aug 2023 09:24
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/5755

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