STRATEGIC LEARNING AND STRATEGIC AGILITY: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF STRATEGIC THINKING

Abstract

This study investigates how strategic learning (St.Le.) enhances strategic thinking (St.Th.) for managers to achieve strategic agility (St.Ag.) in public sector organizations—developing their strategic capabilities through all types of learning and thinking to gain competitive advantages and strategic agility to compete with other companies, in global trade and particularly in Iraq. Given the business sector's openness to global and regional trade for various industries, products, services, etc., Al-Furat state company for chemical industries in Babylon was chosen to test the hypotheses of this highlighted the need for strategic thinking as a societal addition and study using a questionnaire designed for this purpose. The study sample comprised 289 employees in company representative positions (managers at all levels and some administrative and technical staff). The most significant statistical technique employed in examining the direct and indirect effect between variables was structural equation modeling. The study drew several results, including the sample's favorable view of the current study's factors. Strategic thinking serves as a partial mediator between strategic learning and strategic agility. The study suggests boosting strategic thinking in Al-Furat state firm for chemical industries and focusing on strategic learning techniques to increase the organization's long-term adaptability to environmental and competitive changes, as indicated in achieving strategic agility.