The Impact of Organizational Immunity Dimensions on Organizational Effectiveness in Jordanian Public Universities

Abstract

This study examined the effect of organizational immunity on organizational effectiveness in Jordanian public universities. Organizational immunity was conceptualized as a multidimensional capability comprising organizational learning, organizational knowledge, organizational memory, and organizational DNA, and was theoretically grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory and the Knowledge-Based View. A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical design was employed. Data were collected through a structured 20-item questionnaire administered to employees occupying upper, middle, and supervisory administrative positions in Jordanian public universities. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, 378 questionnaires were distributed, of which 350 valid responses were retained for analysis, yielding a usable response rate of 92.6%. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27. The reliability and factorial validity of the instrument were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. Common method bias and non-response bias were also examined. Multiple linear regression was used to test the study hypotheses. Because the Breusch–Pagan test indicated mild heteroscedasticity, HC3 heteroscedasticity-consistent robust standard errors were used for coefficient inference. The regression model was statistically significant and explained 49.4% of the variance in organizational effectiveness (R² = 0.494). All four dimensions of organizational immunity had positive and statistically significant effects on organizational effectiveness. Organizational learning was the strongest predictor, followed by organizational knowledge, organizational DNA, and organizational memory. The findings demonstrate that organizational effectiveness in Jordanian public universities depends not only on formal resources and structures but also on the institution’s capacity to learn, mobilize knowledge, retain experience, and coordinate internal organizational processes. The study contributes to the literature by presenting an integrated and theoretically grounded model of organizational immunity that may be tested in other higher education and knowledge-intensive public institutions.