Inter-organizational social capital as an antecedent of a firm’s knowledge identification capability and external knowledge acquisition

Abstract

Purpose This paper concentrates on the antecedents of external knowledge acquisition of companies based on their inter-organizational relationships. Specifically, it considers social capital (i.e., the result of a firm’s inter-organizational relationships) as an essential precursor of knowledge identification capabilities and deliberated knowledge acquisition strategies. This study aims to propose that cognitive and relational dimensions of a firm’s inter-organizational social capital are mediating factors of the relationship between structural social capital and knowledge identification capabilities and the relationship between structural social capital and the deliberated acquisition of external knowledge, respectively. The relationship between knowledge identification capability and external knowledge acquisition is also analyzed. Design/methodology/approach This is a cross-sectional quantitative study with a sample of 87 firms from Spanish biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. From an extensive literature review, we developed three hypotheses that were tested using the partial least squares technique and structural equations model. Findings The results only support a mediating effect of cognitive social capital in the relationship between structural social capital and knowledge identification capability and a partial mediation effect of relational social capital in the relationship between structural social capital and knowledge acquisition. In addition, the findings show that firms with more advanced abilities to identify and assess the value of external knowledge will be likely to develop optimal deliberated strategies to acquire effectively such knowledge from its network partners. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study are small sample size and the cross-sectional nature of the study. The study also focuses on only two specific and innovative industries. Practical implications Managers should understand that “good” management of inter-organizational social capital allows the firm to develop dynamic capabilities for the identification and acquisition of valuable knowledge. The results of the study show that managers should concentrate on building knowledge identification capabilities and should also be aware of the possibilities that social capital can provide to a firm to formulate and implement effective strategies for external knowledge acquisition. Originality/value To date, there are relatively few studies focussing on knowledge identification capability and its relationships with the dimensions of a company’s social capital as enablers of external knowledge acquisition. For managers, the identification of valuable knowledge by using inter-organizational relationships and networks is an essential issue, especially in innovative industries characterized by continuous change. Theoretically, this research highlights that social capital contributes to the development of dynamic capabilities, allowing the firm to sense and seize business opportunities based on external knowledge acquisition to achieve competitive advantages.

Intra-Organizational Social Capital and Product Innovation: The Mediating Role of Realized Absorptive Capacity

“…At this point, it is also important to differentiate between PACAP and RACAP and the role they play regarding knowledge acquisition and its exploitation by firms. While PACAP is closely connected with knowledge identification and assimilation, and inter-organizational relationships are thus essential aspects for detecting sources to acquire knowledge, RACAP is more dependent on internal processes to learn how to exploit the acquired knowledge ( Ortiz et al, 2018 ). These internally learned processes are guided by the way a company is able to manage employees’ interactions to transfer tacit and codified knowledge by means of networks based on trust and shared understandings about behaviors, the functioning of activities and its competitive objectives.…”

“…Recent studies have shown, from a qualitative point of view, how internal SC positively impacts performance in knowledge-intensive contexts ( Salas−Vallina et al, 2020 ). Other papers have analyzed the relationships between SC and PACP (knowledge identification capability and external knowledge acquisition) ( Ortiz et al, 2017 , 2018 ), and others have focused on examining the mediating role of absorptive capacity (PACAP and RACAP) on the relationship of SC and innovation ( Duodu and Rowlinson, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2020 ). However, most of them have focused on analyzing SC from an external or inter-organizational point of view.…”

Spreading Sustainability Innovation through the Co-Evolution of Sustainable Business Models and Partnerships

“…In [76], Franco tested the impact of relations and compatibility, and interactions between partners and found these factors to significantly and positively impact on alliance success; relations and compatibility refer to trust, lack of opportunistic behaviour, good relationships, informal links and commitment; interactions between partners refer to joint decision-making and exchange of ideas and knowledge between participants. Many studies on inter-organisational networks highlighted that the success of these networks is based on relational governance [77][78][79][80][81] and social capital [82][83][84], which enable inter-organisational knowledge transfer [85,86].…”

The Mediating Role of Environmental Innovation on Knowledge Acquisition and Corporate Performance Relationship—A Study of SMEs in China

“…In addition, knowledge acquisition is an important approach for enterprises to overcome organizational inertia [2] and take the initiative to seek for new product development, which may satisfy the environment-friendly demands of the market, improve their environmental performance, enhance their green image, and increase profit. As was indicated by Ortiz et al [33], enterprises must strengthen knowledge acquisition, so as to rapidly respond to and timely update technical change, competition, and client demand in the dynamic environment. Studies show that enterprises' understanding of market and technical knowledge may increase their potential for discovering new opportunities and effectively using them [34,35].…”