Determinants of Organisational Learning in the generation of technological distinctive competencies

Abstract

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.