Exploring tacit knowledge transfer and innovation capabilities within the buyer–supplier collaboration: a literature review

Enhancing quality and innovation performance: the role of supplier communication and knowledge development

“…The literature has indicated that upstream quality management practices consist of a long-term relationship with suppliers, supplier involvement in product development and quality improvement, a quality focus in selecting suppliers, and supplier certification (Yu et al, 2019;Zeng et al, 2013). These collaborations and joint knowledge, most of the time are in the form of tacit knowledge (Sikombe et al, 2019), which can ensure the quality of materials to enhance environment-friendly products, and can substantially improve the satisfaction of customers (Hsu et al, 2013;Jing Dai & Montabon, 2015;Tate et al, 2012). The supplier experience is the best form of acquiring tacit knowledge where it can bring fresh insights into the quality improvement and improvement of performance through experiences (Muthulingam & Agrawal, 2016).…”

How does contract completeness affect tacit knowledge acquisition?

“…In R&D alliances, much work-related knowledge, such as knowhow regarding technical skills and new product and process ideas, is highly tacit in nature (Kaur et al, 2019;Tallman and Chacar, 2011). Tacit knowledge is regarded as the main source of a firm's competitive advantages because it is unique, rare and difficult for competitors to replicate (Janowicz-Panjaitan and Noorderhaven, 2009;Ganguly et al, 2019;Sikombe and Phiri, 2019). Acquiring tacit knowledge from alliance partners allows firms to obtain critical components for innovations and improve collective performance in dynamic markets (Oliva et al, 2019a;Singh et al, 2019b).…”

“…In R&D alliances, much work-related knowledge, such as knowhow regarding technical skills and new product and process ideas, is highly tacit in nature (Kaur et al , 2019; Tallman and Chacar, 2011). Tacit knowledge is regarded as the main source of a firm’s competitive advantages because it is unique, rare and difficult for competitors to replicate (Janowicz-Panjaitan and Noorderhaven, 2009; Ganguly et al , 2019; Sikombe and Phiri, 2019). Acquiring tacit knowledge from alliance partners allows firms to obtain critical components for innovations and improve collective performance in dynamic markets (Oliva et al , 2019a; Singh et al , 2019b).…”

Knowledge transfer in institutionalised supplier development and operational performance: the mediating role of absorptive capacity

“…The SME oriented public procurement policies aim to stimulate KT to local contractors from large foreign contractors to build their capacity (Hawkins et al, 2018;Loader, 2017). In their earlier studies, Sikombe and Phiri (2019) argue that buyer-supplier collaborations such as supplier development create a conducive environment for KT from the more experienced and relatively large organisation to SMEs, with relatively small knowledge stocks. However, despite the critical role that SME oriented public procurement policies play in stimulating KT, the effect of institutionalised supplier development initiatives on KT remains under-researched (Grandia & Meehan, 2017), particularly in the construction industry such as Zambia.…”