Author Identifier
Visitha Amaratunge: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9547-752X
Date of Award
2026
Keywords
Organisational learning, organisational resilience, organisational performance, organisational unlearning, paradoxical thinking, diversification, multiple external shocks, post-conflict emerging economies, export enterprises
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
School
School of Business and Law
First Supervisor
Pi-Shen Seet
Second Supervisor
Jalleh Sharafizad
Abstract
This research explores and examines the role of organisational learning in developing the organisational resilience of export enterprises in a post-conflict emerging economy, thus improving organisational performance amid multiple external shocks.
A two-stage mixed-methods, sequential exploratory research design was adopted in this research project. The first stage of the research involved a qualitative study, which consisted of 20 semi structured interviews with key decision-makers within export firms in Sri Lanka. The collected data were analysed employing the Gioia methodology. Besides organisational learning, three major facilitators of organisational resilience were identified: organisational unlearning, paradoxical thinking and diversification, offering insights into an area that remains relatively unexplored in existing literature. These aggregate dimensions were then combined with additional ones derived from the literature review to develop a conceptual framework as a base model to be tested in the quantitative study of the research project.
The second stage of the research involved a quantitative study. A self-administered survey instrument was distributed using Qualtrics, and 147 responses were collected from export enterprises in Sri Lanka. The questionnaire was completed by individuals holding decision-making roles in separate export companies. The data were then tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The analysis found that facilitating factors such as organisational learning, paradoxical thinking and diversification had a positive influence on organisational resilience. Also, the relationship between organisational resilience and organisational performance was statistically significant. However, there was no statistically significant direct relationship between organisational unlearning and organisational resilience. Furthermore, organisational resilience served as a mediator in the relationships between organisational learning, paradoxical thinking, diversification and the outcome variable organisational performance.
The research project contributes to the existing body of knowledge by revealing a more nuanced picture of relationships between organisational learning and organisational resilience, along with the predictive factors (i.e., organisational unlearning, paradoxical thinking and diversification). It also offers implications for managers, policymakers, customers and suppliers in terms of operating with internationalised entities amid a polycrisis.
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 13th May 2029
Recommended Citation
Amaratunge, V. I. (2026). Enhancing organisational resilience amid multiple external shocks through organisational learning in post-conflict emerging economy export enterprises. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/cgtj-ag78