The role of organisational learning in creating an agile workforce in Dubai

Abstract

Today's business environment, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is better described as being volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. The present study adopts a qualitative multiple-case study design by interviewing seven HR managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across different industries in Dubai, namely, maintenance, digital services, security, retail, insurance, and technology. Workforce agility characteristics have been analysed against eight indicators conceptualised across the western context. This paper contributes to the current literature by testing organisational learning (OL) and understanding the concept of OL in particular in the UAE. Furthermore, organisational learning practices and their role in workforce agility development have been investigated. The study reveals a significant consistency between the western standards of agile attributes and those required among Dubai SMEs. Also, the findings show that SMEs in Dubai incorporate learning interventions without a targeted focus on agile attribute developments.