Cultivating learning and fostering flexibility in international distribution

Research examining the relationship among learning orientation, strategic flexibility, and performance is assessed in an international setting focused on exporting manufacturers involved in contractual relationships with foreign distributors. Adopting a learning orientation—developing skills in creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge—has generally been believed to significantly impact performance. In the current research, however, the relationship between learning orientation and performance was not direct, but found to flow indirectly through strategic flexibility. The results suggest that learning orientation develops a set of firm capabilities, such as flexibility, that eventually lead to enhanced performance.