The complementary effect of internal learning capacity and absorptive capacity on performance: the mediating role of innovation capacity

International Journal of Technology Management

Volumn 55, Issue 1-2, 2011, Pages 56-81

  Forés, Beatriz ^a   Camisón, César ^a  

^a UNIVERSITAT JAUME I   (Spain)

Author keywords

Business performance; Dynamic capacities; Knowledge management; Structural equation modelling

Indexed keywords

COMMERCE; KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT;

ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY; BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES; BUSINESS PERFORMANCE; DYNAMIC CAPACITY; ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS; INNOVATION CAPACITY; KNOWLEDGE GENERATIONS; STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING;

COMPETITION;

EID: 79960971881     PISSN: 02675730     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2011.041680     Document Type: Article

References (76)

1. Anderson, J.C. and Gerbing, D.W. (1982) 'Some methods for respecifying measurement models to obtain unidimensional constructs measures', Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 19, pp.453-460.
2. Arora, A. and Gambardella, A. (1994) 'Evaluating technological information and utilizing it: scientific knowledge, technological capability and external linkages in biotechnology', Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organization, Vol. 24, pp.91-114.
3. Bagozzi, R.P. (1981) 'Evaluating structural equations models with unobservable variables and measurement error: a comment', Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 18, pp.375-381.
4. Bentler, P.M. (1995) EQS Structural Equations Program Manual, Multivariate Software, Encino, CA.
5. Bierly, P., Damanpour, F. and Santoro, M. (2009) 'The application of external knowledge: organizational conditions for exploration and exploitation', Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 3, pp.481-509.
6. Bierly, P.E. and Chakrabarti, A. (1996) 'Technological learning, strategic flexibility and new product development in the pharmaceutical industry', IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp.368-380. (Pubitemid 126770485)
7. Bontis, N., Crossan, M.M. and Hulland, J. (2002) 'Managing an organizational learning system by aligning stocks and flows', Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp.437-469.
8. Boynton, A.C., Zmud, R.W. and Jacobs, G.C. (1994) 'The influence of IT management practice on IT use in large organizations', MIS Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp.299-318.
9. Calantone, R.J., Cavusgil, S.T. and Zhao, Y. (2002) 'Learning orientation, firm innovation capability and firm performance', Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp.515-524.
10. Caloghirou, Y., Kastelli, I. and Tsakanikas, A. (2004) 'Internal capabilities and external knowledge sources: complements or substitutes for innovative performance', Technovation, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp.29-39.
11. Camisón, C. (2004) 'Shared, competitive and comparative advantages: a competence-based view of industrial-district competitiveness', Environment and Planning A, Vol. 36, No. 12, pp.2227-2256. (Pubitemid 40047038)
12. Camisón, C. (2005) 'On how to measure managerial and organizational capabilities', Management Research, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp.27-48.
13. Camisón, C. and Forés, B. (2009) 'Knowledge absorptive capacity: new insights for its conceptualization and measurement', Journal of Business Research, in press.
14. Cassiman, B. and Veugelers, R. (2006) 'In search of complementarity in innovation strategy: internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition', Management Science, Vol. 52, pp.68-82.
15. Chen, C.J. (2004) 'The effects of knowledge attribute, alliance characteristics and absorptive capacity on knowledge transfer performance', R&D Management, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp.311-321.
16. Chen, Y-S., Lin, M-J. and Chang, C-H. (2009) 'The positive effects of relationship learning and absorptive capacity on innovation performance and competitive advantage in industrial markets', Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 38, pp.152-158.
17. Churchill, G.A. (1979) 'A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs', Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 16, pp.64-73.
18. Cohen, W.M. and Levinthal, D.A. (1989) 'Innovation and learning: the two faces of R&D', The Economic Journal, Vol. 99, pp.569-596.
19. Cohen, W.M. and Levinthal, D.A. (1990) 'Absorptive capacity: a new perspective on learning and innovation', Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 35, pp.128-152.
20. Damanpour, F. and Gopalarkrishnan, S. (2001) 'The dynamics of the adoption of product and process innovations in organisations', Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 38, pp.45-65. (Pubitemid 33384008)
21. Damanpour, F. and Schneider, M. (2006) 'Phases of the adoption of innovation in organizations: effects of environment, organization and top managers', British Journal of Management, Vol. 17, pp.215-236. (Pubitemid 44244940)
22. Damanpour, F., Walker, R.M. and Avellaneda, C.N. (2009) 'Combinative effects of innovation types on organizational performance: a longitudinal study of public services', Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp.650-675.
23. Day, G.S. (1994) 'The capabilities of market driven organizations', Journal of Marketing, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp.37-52.
24. De Clercq, D. and Dimov, D. (2008) 'Internal knowledge development and external knowledge access in venture capital investment performance', Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp.585-612.
25. Fairchild, A. and Mackinnon, D.P. (2009) 'A general model for testing mediation and moderation effects', Journal Prevention Science, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp.87-99, Springer Netherlands.
26. Ferrier, W.J., Smith, K.G. and Grimm, C. (1999) 'The role of competitive action in market share erosion and industry dethronement: a study of industry leaders and challengers', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 42, pp.372-388.
27. García-Morales, V., Ruiz-Moreno, A. and Llorens-Montes, F.J. (2007) 'Effects of technology absorptive capacity and technology proactivity on organizational learning, innovation and performance: an empirical examination', Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp.557-558.
28. Garvin, D.A. (1993) 'Building a learning organisation', Harvard Business Review, July-August, pp.78-91.
29. Goh, S. and Richards, G. (1997) 'Benchmarking the learning capacity of organizations', European Management Journal, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp.575-583.
30. Grant, R.M. (1991) 'The resource-based theory of competitive advantages: implications for strategy formulation', California Management Review, Vol. 33, pp.114-135.
31. Grant, R.M. (1996) 'Toward a knowledge-based theory of the firm', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 17, pp.109-122.
32. Hair, J.F., Anderson, R.E., Tatham, R. and Black, W. (1998) Multivariate Data Analysis, Prentice Hall, Homewood.
33. Harabi, N. (1995) 'Appropriability of technical innovations an empirical analysis', Research Policy, Vol. 24, No. 6, pp.981-992.
34. Haro-Domínguez, M.C., Arias-Aranda, D., Llorens Montes, F.J. and Moreno, A.R. (2007) 'The impact of absorptive capacity on technological acquisitions engineering consulting companies', Technovation, Vol. 27, No. 8, pp.417-425. (Pubitemid 47048406)
35. Henderson, R.M. and Clark, K.B. (1990) 'Architectural innovation: the reconfiguration of existing product technologies and the failure of established firms administration', Science Quarterly, Vol. 35, pp.9-30.
36. Hitt, M.A., Hoskisson, R.E., Johnson, R.A. and Moesel, D.D. (1996) 'The market for corporate control and firm innovation', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 39, pp.1084-1119.
37. Hult, T.M., Hurley, R.F. and Knight, G.A. (2004) 'Innovativeness: its antecedents and impact on business performance', Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 23, No. 5, pp.429-438. (Pubitemid 38687208)
38. Jansen, J.J.P., Van Den Bosch, F.A.J. and Volberda, H.W. (2005) 'Managing potential and realized absorptive capacity: how do organizational antecedents matter?', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 48, No. 6, pp.999-1015. (Pubitemid 43247053)
39. Jansen, J.J.P., Van den Bosch, F.A.J. and Volberda, H.W. (2006) 'Exploratory innovation, exploitative innovation and performance: effects of organizational antecedents and environmental moderators', Management Science, Vol. 52, pp.1161-1674.
40. Jerez-Gómez, P., Céspedes-Lorente, J. and Valle Cabrera, R. (2005) 'Organizational learning capability: a proposal of measurement', Journal of Business Research, Vol. 58, No. 6, pp.715-725. (Pubitemid 40105689)
41. Jöreskog, K.G. (1969) 'A general approach to confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis', Psychometrica, Vol. 34, pp.183-202.
42. Kahn, K.B. (2001) 'Market orientation, interdepartmental integration and product development performance', Journal of Product Innovation Management, Vol. 18, pp.314-323. (Pubitemid 32903557)
43. Kessler, E.H., Bierly, P.E. and Gopalakrishnan, S. (2000) 'Internal vs. external learning in new product development: effects of speed, costs and competitive advantage', R&D Management, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp.213-224.
44. Kogut, B. and Zander, U. (1992) 'Knowledge of the firm, combinative capabilities and the replication of technology', Organization Science, Vol. 3, pp.383-397.
45. Kontoghiorghes, C., Awbre, S.M. and Feurig, P.L. (2005) 'Examining the relationship between learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation and organizational performance', Human Resource Development Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.185-211.
46. Lane, P.J. and Lubatkin, M. (1998) 'Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 19, pp.461-477. (Pubitemid 128468556)
47. Lane, P.J., Koka, B.R. and Pathak, S. (2006) 'The reification of absorptive capacity: a critical review and rejuvenation of the construct', Academy of Management Review, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp.833-863. (Pubitemid 44639647)
48. Lane, P.J., Salk, J.E. and Lyles, M.A. (2001) 'Absorptive capacity, learning and performance in international joint ventures', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, pp.1139-1161. (Pubitemid 33608752)
49. Lawson, B. and Samson, D. (2001) 'Developing innovation capability in organisations: a dynamic capabilities approach', International Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp.377-400. (Pubitemid 33363076)
50. Liao, S-H., Fei, W-C. and Chen, C-C. (2007) 'Knowledge sharing, absorptive capacity and innovation capability: an empirical study of Taiwan's knowledge-intensive industries', Journal of Information Science, Vol. 20, pp.1-20.
51. Nieto, M. and Quevedo, P. (2005) 'Absorptive capacity, technological opportunity, knowledge spillovers, and innovative effort', Technovation, Vol. 25, No. 10, pp.1141-1157. (Pubitemid 40226768)
52. Nonaka, I. (1994) 'A dynamic theory of organizational knowledge creation', Organization Science, Vol. 5, pp.14-37.
53. Pérez López, S., Montes Peón, J.M. and Vázquez Ordás, C. (2005) 'Organizational learning as a determining factor in business performance', The Learning Organisation: An International Journal, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp.227-245. (Pubitemid 40640350)
54. Phene, A., Fladmoe-Lindquist, K. and Marsh, L. (2006) 'Breakthrough innovations in the US biotechnology industry: the effects of technological space and geographic origin', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp.369-388.
55. Piccolo, R.F. and Colquitt, J.A. (2006) 'Transformational leadership and job behaviors: the mediating role of core job characteristics', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 49, pp.327-340. (Pubitemid 43726608)
56. Prajogo, D.I. and Ahmed, P.K. (2006) 'Innovation stimulus and innovation capacity: integrating the human and technological sides of innovation management - an Australian study', R&D Management, Vol. 36, No. 5, pp.499-515.
57. Rindova, V.P., Williamson, I.O., Petkova, A.P. and Sever, J.M. (2005) 'Doing good or being known: an empirical examination of the dimensions, antecedents and consequences of organizational reputation', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 48, No. 6, pp.1033-1049. (Pubitemid 43247055)
58. Rosenkopf, L. and Nerkar, A. (2001) 'Beyond local search: boundary-spanning, exploration and impact in the optical disc industry', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp.287-307.
59. Rush, H., Bessant, J. and Hobday, M. (2007) 'Assessing the technological capabilities of firms: developing a policy tool', R&D Management, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp.221-236.
60. Satorra, A. and Bentler, P.M. (1994) 'Corrections to test statistics and standard error in covariance structure analysis', in A. Von Eye and C.C. Clogg (Eds.): Latent Variables Analysis: Applications for Developmental Research, pp.399-419, Sage Publications Ltd., Thousand Oaks, CA.
61. Schein, E.H. (1993) 'On dialogue, culture and organizational learning', Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp.40-51.
62. Smith, K.G., Collins, C.J. and Clark, K.D. (2005) 'Existing knowledge, knowledge creation capability and the rate of new product introduction in high-technology firms', Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 48, pp.346-357. (Pubitemid 40747074)
63. Soo, C., Devinney, T.M. and Midgley, D.F. (2007) 'External knowledge acquisition, creativity and learning in organisational problem solving', International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 38, Nos. 1/2, pp.137-159. (Pubitemid 46293314)
64. Srivardhanaa, T. and Pawlowski, S. (2007) 'ERP systems as an enabler of sustained business process innovation: a knowledge-based view', The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp.51-69. (Pubitemid 46562509)
65. Szulanski, G. (1996) 'Exploring internal stickiness: impediments to the transfer of best practice within the firm', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 17, pp.27-43.
66. Tannenbaum, S.I. (1997) 'Enhancing continuous learning: diagnostic findings from multiple companies', Human Resource Management, Vol. 36, No. 4, pp.437-452.
67. Templeton, G.F., Lewis, B.R. and Snyder, C.A. (2002) 'Development of a measure for the organizational learning construct', Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp.175-218. (Pubitemid 35312528)
68. Tu, Q., Vonderembse, M.A., Ragu-Nathan, T.S. and Sharkey, T. (2006) 'Absorptive capacity: enhancing the assimilation of time-based manufacturing practices', Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp.692-710. (Pubitemid 44291855)
69. Tuominen, M. and Hyvönen, S. (2004) 'Organizational innovation capability: a driver for competitive superiority', International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp.277-293.
70. Un, C.A. and Cuervo-Cazurra, A. (2004) 'Strategies for knowledge creation in firms', British Journal of Management, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp.27-41.
71. Van den Bosch, F.A.J., Van Wijk, R. and Volberda, H.W. (2003) 'Absorptive capacity: antecedents, models and outcomes', in M. Easterby-Smith and M.A Lyles (Eds.): The Blackwell Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management, pp.278-301, Blackwell Publishing, Malden.
72. Van den Bosch, F.A.J., Volberda, H.W. and de Boer, M. (1999) 'Coevolution of firm absorptive capacity and knowledge environment: organizational forms and combinative capabilities', Organization Science, Vol. 10, pp.551-568.
73. Vinding, A.L. (2006) 'Absorptive capacity and innovative performance: a human capital approach', Economics of Innovation and New Technologies, Vol. 15, pp.507-517.
74. Winter, S.G. (2003) 'Understanding dynamic capabilities', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 10, pp.991-995.
75. Yli-Renko, H., Autio, E. and Sapienza, H.J. (2001) 'Social capital, knowledge acquisition and knowledge exploitation in young technology-based firms', Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 22, pp.587-613. (Pubitemid 33612460)
76. Zahra, S.A. and George, G. (2002) 'Absorptive capacity: a review, reconceptualization and extension', Academy of Management Review, April, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp.185-203.