Entrepreneurial strategic posture and learning effort in international ventures: The moderating roles of operational flexibilities

• The effect of an entrepreneurial strategic posture on international learning effort depends on operational flexibilities.
• An entrepreneurial strategic posture enhances international learning effort more when cognitive flexibility is high.
• An entrepreneurial strategic posture enhances international learning effort more when political flexibility is high.
• An entrepreneurial strategic posture enhances international learning effort more when structural flexibility is low.

Drawing from the attention-based view, this article extends the study of international entrepreneurship by investigating how the contribution of international ventures’ entrepreneurial strategic posture to their actual learning efforts in foreign markets depends on various flexibilities that underlie their operations. The results from a sample of international Chinese ventures indicate that an entrepreneurial strategic posture enhances international learning effort more to the extent that the ventures possess greater cognitive and political flexibilities. Somewhat paradoxically, greater structural flexibility impedes the translation of an entrepreneurial strategic posture into international learning effort. The findings have important implications for the growing body of research that adopts an international new venture perspective.