Managerial Innovation and Organizational Performance in Moroccan Startups: Examining the Mediating Role of Organizational Learning Velocity

Startups operate in environments characterized by uncertainty, rapid change, and continuous feedback, where success depends not only on learning but also on the speed with which learning is translated into action. Although prior research has identified managerial innovation and organizational learning as important drivers of performance, limited attention has been given to how rapidly organizations transform information and experience into decisions and actions. To address this gap, this study introduces Organizational Learning Velocity (OLV). Drawing on organizational learning theory and the dynamic capabilities perspective, this study examines the effect of managerial innovation on learning velocity, its effect on organizational performance, and its mediating role between managerial innovation and organizational performance. Data were collected from 600 employees, managers, and founders of Moroccan startups and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that managerial innovation positively influences learning velocity, which in turn enhances organizational performance. Furthermore, learning velocity fully mediates the relationship between managerial innovation and organizational performance. The study contributes to the management and entrepreneurship literature by introducing OLV as a distinct organizational mechanism explaining how managerial innovation improves organizational performance in startup environments.