Abstract:
Existing studies attest to the mediating role of innovation,
but less
is
known
about which specific type of innovation matters in the manufacturing
context of a developing country. This study unpacks the construct
of
innovation
and
tests
the
mediating
effect
of
product,
process,
and
management system innovation typ
es in the relationship
between
organizational
learning and sustainability performance. A structured
questionnaire
was used
to collect cross
-
sectional survey data from
the
managerial
staff of 256 medium and large manufacturing firms in
Uganda.
Hayes’s PROCE
SS macro (Version 4.0) through Model 4 was used
to
carry out a
multiple
-
mediation analysis.
Findings revealed that
organizational
learning, product innovation, and process innovation
have a positive direct
effect on
sustainability performance. Only product
and process innovations
partially
mediate
the
relationship
between
organizational
learning
and
sustainability performance.
The findings
of this study validated the dynamic
capability theory by demonstrating that
the effect of organizational learning on
su
stainability performance can be partially conveyed
through product and
process
innovation.
Drawing
on
this
empirical
evidence,
industry
policymakers
and managers of medium and large manufacturing firms
seeking to improve sustainability performance need to
adopt strategies that
simultaneously support
organizational
learning and innovations in products and
processes
