Absorptive capacity in a relational context

This project addresses Absorptive Capacity (AC, or “the ability of a firm to recognize the value of new, external information, assimilate it, and apply it to commercial ends”, Cohen and Levinthal, 1990: p. 128) in a relational context. We build upon a knowledge-based view of the firm, which is a spin-off of the resource based view. AC is constituted by three cumulative learning processes: exploration, assimilation and exploitation. Mechanisms that tie together these learning processes are: structural, cultural, psychological and policy facets (Knoppen, Sáenz and Johnston, 2011).

The project combines the survey research method with the case study method. Cases have an embedded design; i.e. both dyadic and organizational level analyses are conducted.