Learning orientation impact, innovativeness and business performance in Croatian companies

Abstract

This study explores whether certain changes in the model of the impact that learning orientation (LO) had on innovativeness and business performance in Croatian companies occurred in the period 2016-2019. Regression and covariance analysis was used to analyse the collected data. According to the results obtained, the impact of learning orientation and its components (commitment to learning, shared vision, open-mindedness and intra-organizational knowledge sharing) on innovativeness (product innovativeness, process innovativeness and business system innovativeness) did not change statistically significantly in the period 2016-2019. The same trend was observed with respect to business performance. In this period, a statistically significant change was identified in the effect of commitment to learning and open-mindedness on product innovativeness, and in the effect of open-mindedness on business system innovativeness. Likewise, the effect of commitment to learning, open mindedness and intra-organizational knowledge sharing within the company on the qualitative effects of business performance also changed. Empirical results provide significant theoretical and managerial implications in implementing a learning orientation with the aim of increasing companies' competitiveness in the market.