Purpose: this paper aims to examine the mediating effect of absorptive capacity on the the relation between two construct: learning orientation (LO) and market orientation (MO) and organizational performance (OP).Design/methodology/approach: data were gathered through field survey of 190 senior managers in manufacturing organizations in Jordan. The analysis was conducted using two-stage least squares estimators for latent variable models. Findings:Results indicate that learning orientation, market orientation and absorptive capacity all have a positive and significant effect on organizational performance. Moreover, results suggest that absorptive capacity partially mediates the relationship between learning orientation and organizational performance. This study concludes that while knowledge acquisition and values of external knowledge are important, related prior knowledge, basic skills and research and development (R&D) (absorptive capacity) are important as well. ISSN 2162-4860 2017 http://ber.macrothink.org 115 that organizations should focus on attaining high levels of Learning orientation and market orientation while also giving attention to building internal knowledge and basic skills including R&D. Practical implications: For managers in manufacturing organizations, the study proposes Business and Economic ResearchOriginality/value: This paper is the first to examine the mediating effect of absorptive capacity on the relationship between learning orientation, market orientation and organizational performance.

This study aims to introduce new insights regarding factors influencing employees’ level of training motivation through investigating the impact of job satisfaction dimensions (pay, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, promotion, supervision, co-workers, operating conditions, nature of work and communication) on training motivation.Data were collected from 342 participants from six Jordanian ministries. The multiple regression technique was utilized to examine the predictive power of job satisfaction dimensions on training motivation. At the next stage, three sequential MR analysis rounds were conducted, each time using a different construct of training motivation (valence, instrumentality and expectancy) as a dependent variable.The results indicate that the dimensions of job satisfaction explain a low but significant variance of the overall training motivation model. Furthermore, it was found that only three dimensions of job satisfaction (nature of work, supervision and co-workers) respectively had a positive and significant impact on training motivation, while contingent rewards had a significant but negative impact.Regarding training motivation constructs, results indicate that the nature of work and supervision were the elements that have an impact on all constructs of training motivation. Finally, it was found that co-workers and contingent rewards had a significant impact on the training motivation constructs of expectancy (confidence in ability to learn) and valence (the perceived value of training outcomes), but no impact on instrumentality (rewards associated with learning).

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Purpose Arab female academics struggle to advance within their universities in both academic and managerial ranks. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the factors hindering Arab women’s academic career development through studying the case of Jordanian academic women. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered through document analysis (Jordan constitution, Jordanian Labour Law and its amendments, higher education and scientific research law, Jordanian universities’ law and universities’ HR policies and regulations), interviews with 20 female academics and a focus group with 13 female academics (members of the Association of Jordanian Female Academics). Findings The results indicate female academics as tokens facing many interconnected and interrelated barriers embodied in cultural, social, economic and legal factors. The findings support the general argument proposed in human resource management (HRM) literature regarding the influence of culture on HRM practices and also propose that the influence of culture extends to having an impact on HR policies’ formulation as well as the formal legal system. Originality/value The influence of culture on women’s career development and various HR practices is well established in HR literature. But the findings of this study present a further pressure of culture. HR policies and other regulations were found to be formulated in the crucible of national culture. Legalizing discriminatory issues deepens the stereotypical pictures of women, emphasizing the domestic role of women and making it harder to break the glass ceiling and old-boy network.

This study aimed to gain an understanding of training and development (T&D) as a philosophy and practice in Jordanian electricity companies and to explore factors that shape T&D. Data were gathered through in‐depth interviews, observation and document analysis. Results indicate that T&D was interpreted in terms of learning, was development focused and emphasized a utilitarian outlook. The T&D role was perceived as being ‘instrumental’, showing an inclination towards a functionalist philosophical perspective. T&D activities were found to have a reactive role, designed to meet particular or short‐term needs. Findings support the general argument proposed in the human resource development literature about the role of T&D philosophy in guiding actions, but also indicate that the way of thinking about T&D is shaped through the prism of ‘situation needs’ and T&D ‘utility’. Furthermore, this study argues that the perceptions, understanding and application of T&D are shaped in the crucible of industry and organizational internal specification.