The relationship between individual-level learning and innovative behaviour: the mediation of group learning and the moderation of job autonomy

Purpose This work has three objectives: the first is to analyse the relationship between learning at an individual level and innovative behaviour; the second is to analyse the mediation effect of learning at the group level between individual-level learning and innovative behaviour and the third is to analyse the moderation effect of job autonomy between individual-level learning and innovative behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was given to 303 employees (144 Colombian and 159 Spanish), and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. Findings The results are significant and indicate that individual-level learning is significantly related to innovative behaviour. Group-level learning mediates the relationship between individual-level learning and innovative behaviour, whilst job autonomy positively moderates the relationship between individual-level learning and innovative behaviour. The control variable “country culture” is not statistically significant. This provides valuable insights into the role of culture in innovation. Originality/value This study offers a novel contribution by integrating individual and group learning dynamics within a multilevel framework to explain innovative behaviour while empirically validating the moderating role of job autonomy. It extends the organisational learning and innovation literature by indicating that job autonomy significantly amplifies the positive effect of individual learning on innovation. Its theoretical value lies in the combined application of transactive memory systems and job demands–resources (JD-R) models, while its empirical contribution is reinforced by a cross-cultural analysis and the use of partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) methodology.