Investigating the Effect of Organizational Learning Strategies on Creativity, Innovation and New Product Performance: Case of Study: Small Firms in Paytakht Industrial City

Abstract

In this era of rapid changes, industries must be flexible and responsive to survive in the market. Achieving this flexibility and responsiveness requires learning from the environment, alongside fostering innovation, creativity, and possibly launching new products. Different learning strategies lead to varying outcomes; thus, this research explores the effects of learning strategies on innovation, creativity, and the performance of new products in small firms.The experience of the 2008 economic crisis in Europe demonstrated that firms' intangible assets, such as employee skills, experience, and knowledge, played a critical role in preventing bankruptcy. This realization led companies to recognize assets such as personnel abilities in learning, creativity, innovation, and the integration of practical knowledge as key sources of competitive advantage. Research has shown that small firms, in addition to their positive impact on economic growth, outperform larger firms in terms of adaptability and creativity. The service portal of the Organization for Iran Small Industries and Industrial Towns reported over 50,000 active small firms by the end of June 2022, underscoring their significance in the country's economy. However, the high failure rate of new products and the limited resources available to small firms make the success of new product development a critical issue.

Keywords

• organizational learning strategies
• innovation
• creativity
• new product performance
• small industrial firms