The relationship between knowledge search strategies and absorptive capacity: A deeper look |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Pôle Universitaire Léonard de Vinci, Research Center, Business Group, France;2. Università di Pisa, DESTEC Department, Italy;3. Politecnico di Bari, DMMM Department, Italy;4. Politecnico di Torino, DIGEP Department, Italy;5. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, MSI Department, Belgium;1. Department of Management and Marketing, Collins College of Business, The University of Tulsa, Helmerich Hall, 2900 East 5th Street, Tulsa, OK 74104, United States;2. The University of Southern Mississippi, College of Business, Division of Management and International Business, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, United States;3. University of Oklahoma, Price College of Business, Division of Management, Norman, OK 73019, United States |
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| Abstract: | The present study analyzes how the breadth and depth of search strategies affect the dimensions of a firm's absorptive capacity: exploration, transformation and exploitation. Results of an analysis of a sample of 467 Spanish manufacturing firms reveal that openness of external knowledge search contributes to firms' exploratory, transformative and exploitative learning processes in different ways. In particular, a strong curvilinear effect of external knowledge search breadth on exploratory and exploitative learning was found. It is also important to establish deep relationships with external agents to achieve transformative and exploitative learning up to a certain point after which relationships become negative. Interestingly, for a firm to develop explorative learning, it is not important to establish deep relationships. And for a firm to develop transformative learning it is not important to establish broad relationships. Some suggestions for managers and future lines of research are provided. |
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| Keywords: | Knowledge search strategies Absorptive capacity Exploratory learning Transformative learning Exploitative learning |
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