Social capital, organizational learning, and marketing innovation in community-based enterprises in Thailand

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the roles of social capital (SC) and two forms of organizational learning (OL) (exploratory learning and exploitative learning) on the marketing innovation of community-based enterprises (CBEs). The emphasis is on the mediating effects of OL in the relationship between SC and marketing innovation. Design/methodology/approach Based on survey data from 406 CBEs in Thailand, this study uses structural equation modeling to assess the validity and reliability of key latent constructs (SC, exploratory and exploitative learning and marketing innovation) and to test the hypothesized relationships among these variables. Findings The direct effect of SC on marketing innovation is negative, but its indirect effects through exploratory and exploitative learning are positive. The indirect effects outweigh the direct effect, resulting in a positive total effect of SC on marketing innovation. SC has positive effects on exploratory and exploitative learning, and, in turn, these two forms of OL positively impact CEBs’ marketing innovation. Originality/value Prior research on CBEs has paid scant attention to the factors that determine their potential for marketing innovation, particularly the roles of SC and OL in promoting innovation. This paper addresses the literature gap by examining the effect of SC on CBEs’ marketing innovation and exploring whether OL mediates the relationship between SC and marketing innovation.