The study assesses how effectively succession planning and talent management facilitate the establishment of organizational agility, as well as the moderating influence of organizational learning in the context of Saudi-based banking and finance sectors. Based on the Resource-Based View theory, the study indicates that learning culture and human capital are very important as primary sources of competitiveness in turbulent environments. A stratified sampling was used in the data gathering of 400 respondents and the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The result shows that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between succession planning and organizational agility, and, therefore, a consistent stream of leadership makes an organization more adaptable and resilient. On the other hand, talent development was negatively correlated with agility, which implies that the existing training practices do not match agility needs. Representatives of organizational learning moderated the succession planning–agility, leadership readiness, and adaptability relationship in a positive manner, but moderated the talent development–agility relationship in a negative manner, which implies that the organization has a disconnection between learning and talent strategies. It highlights the necessity to redesign HR practices to make them agile, promote the development of adaptive leadership and a culture of learning, and introduce flexible talent policies. This knowledge adds to the theoretical discussion of the dual nature of organizational learning as a facilitator and constraint as well as providing practical ways to enhance competitiveness in dynamic financial markets.

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe paper examines how digital human resource management (D-HRM) practice affects employee innovation behavior in the ICT sector in several Middle Eastern countries, especially regarding how organizational learning acts as a mediating variable. The analysis was quantitative, involving an online survey sent to 15 ICT organizations in Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar. A total of 658 valid responses were collected from HR specialists, innovation team members, supervisors, and managers between February and May 2025. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. These findings showed that D-HRM (beta = 0.28, p < 0.001) affects employees’ innovation directly and significantly. In addition, D-HRM is found to have a significant impact on organizational learning (beta = 0.39, p < 0.001), which has a significant effect on innovation behavior (beta = 0.33, p < 0.001). The mediation effect was also justified (0.13, p < 0.001), and it is established that learning processes act as one of the significant mechanisms of HRM transforming digital into innovative ones. The findings highlight the significance of digital capability and organizational learning in supporting innovation in ICT companies. The study provides meaningful suggestions to HR leaders and policymakers to promote innovation with digital systems, learning culture, and human-centered strategy. These findings provide actionable insights for HR leaders and policymakers in the Middle East ICT sector, helping them design digital HR strategies that strengthen organizational learning and enhance employee innovation capacity.