Moderating role of organizational culture on the relationship between quality management practices, organizational learning, and organizational performance in Iraqi higher education institutes

The main objective of this study is investigate the moderating role of organizational culture on the relationship between quality management practices, organizational learning, and organizational performance in Iraqi higher education institutes. A simple random sampling method was used for sample selection. A total of 468 questionnaires were distributed through email to the Head of Department from Iraqi public universities, and 203 were deemed usable, giving a response rate of 43%. The data were analysed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling technique after completely passed four data preparation and screening steps, i.e. the testing for normality, testing of multicollinearity, testing of linearity, and test of non-response bias. The results indicate core quality management practices, infrastructure quality management practices and organizational learning have significant relationship on organizational performance. Besides, organizational culture positively moderates the relationship between core quality management practices, organizational learning and organizational performance. Oppositely, organizational culture does not moderate the relationship between infrastructure quality management practices and organizational performance. Besides, the extend model explained 79.9 percent of organizational performance, which mean the developed model posits the importance of organizational culture as a moderator in the Iraqi public higher education industry. The novelty of this study is a significant contribution to organizational performance by highlighted three independent variables (core quality management practices, infrastructure quality management practices, and organizational learning) that contribute to raising performance level in Iraqi higher education institutes, without neglecting the organizational culture as a moderating variable. Finally, limitations of the current study and direction for future research are discussed.