Absorptive capacity: A process and structure approach

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to understand and explain different dimensions of absorptive capacity and the strategies used in practice to realise it. The theoretical and conceptual contribution of the study lies in the adoption of a dual process and structure approach, aiming at identifying, respectively, how learning takes place and what learning takes place. The study is based upon a case study research design to explore the manifestation of absorptive capacity processes and its relationship to knowledge structures in four company case studies. The findings of the research indicate that knowledge acquisition, transformation and integration involve successive iterations of codification, abstraction and diffusion of knowledge in relation to product concepts, process requirements and problem solving approaches. This relates to the capability to adopt, simultaneously, different trajectories in terms of knowledge exploration and knowledge exploitation strategies. The combined adoption of these different strategies enables both strategic and operational flexibility and underlies the successful realisation of absorptive capacity.

The absorptive capacity process: an exposition and update

“…The second hypothesis intends to test the integrative ACAP process for the half-cycle backward from the team to the individual level. In this stage, codified knowledge of at the team level enriches the knowledge of individual (Vasconcelos et al, 2019). Similar to the first hypothesis, all of the components should also have a strong impact.…”

“…They use ACAP as tools, such as to catalyse the capacity of leaders (Ali et al, 2013;Castillo and Trinh, 2019), empower psychological ownership (Ye et al, 2021), boosting innovation behaviour (Tsai, 2021) and so on. Indeed, several previous types of research do bring relevant points about the ACAP, such as Filippini et al (2010) and Vasconcelos et al (2019) used qualitative case studies that described the progress of the ACAP process their participant's view.…”

“…The intense interaction between PACAP and RACAP manifests the diffusion of knowledge over time and, at the same time, gives new depth to individual knowledge known as a process of knowledge creation (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995), but in the form of interaction between levels, individuals and groups (Vasconcelos et al, 2019). According to Nonaka's SECI model, the knowledge creation process will also go back to the individual as additional tacit knowledge of the individual (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995).…”

Intergenerational workplace knowledge sharing: challenges and new directions

“…Notwithstanding that tension, influential models such as Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) SECI model emphasise the imperative to collaborate in organisational settings and propose that the more experiential knowledge resides with individuals and their relations, therefore being best exchanged in interaction. For that reason, organisations should consider the development of a social interaction culture (Lin, 2007) and create spaces – physical, virtual and mental – to enable the exchange of knowledge between individuals (Von Krogh et al ., 2012; Vasconcelos et al , 2019). Exchanges and cooperation take place within and beyond the traditional boundaries of organisations (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990), which emphasises the human relations aspect (Reid, 2003; Van den Hooff and de Leeuw van Weenen, 2004) and the significance of social capital in terms of: structurally ensuring the right people are able to connect; cognitively engaging in effective communication; and relationally developing a platform of trust, reciprocity and collective commitment to the success of the group (Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998).…”

Aprendizaje Organizacional: Análisis de la Exploración y Explotación de Conocimiento en Medianas Empresas

“…De otro lado, Vasconcelos et al (2018) establecen que la adquisición e integración del conocimiento en las organizaciones implican sucesivas iteraciones de codificación, abstracción y difusión del mismo, en relación con los conceptos de los productos, los requisitos del proceso y los enfoques de resolución de problemas; lo cual se relaciona con la capacidad de adoptar, simultáneamente, diferentes trayectorias de exploración y explotación. De esta manera, la exploración y la explotación están estrechamente vinculadas, debido a que la explotación, sin explorar nuevos conocimientos con el tiempo genera ineficacias dado el agotamiento tecnológico del mercado.…”