Learning from leaders: the mediating role of leadership between national culture and organizational learning culture

In times of globalization of work and learning, the impact of national culture on learning becomes more important for human resource development. Therefore, this cross-cultural study had two objectives: first, to examine how power distance influences learning culture; and second, to investigate leadership as a missing link between the national culture in terms of power distance and organizational learning culture. Participants from Germany (N = 310) and Russia (N = 348) were surveyed via an online questionnaire. A structural equation model indicates a negative, mostly indirect effect of power distance on all seven DLOQ dimensions, mediated by participative leadership. Therefore, according to the results, leadership is of significant importance for learning culture, at least in global acting companies, and should be in the focus of international human resource development. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.