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Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning (1998)
| Venue: | STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL |
| Citations: | 463 - 2 self |
BibTeX
@ARTICLE{Lane98relativeabsorptive,
author = {Peter J. Lane and Michael Lubatkin},
title = {Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning},
journal = {STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL},
year = {1998},
volume = {19},
pages = {461--477}
}
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Abstract
Much of the prior research on interorganizational learning has focused on the role of absorptive capacity, a firm’s ability to value, assimilate, and utilize new external knowledge. However, this definition of the construct suggests that a firm has an equal capacity to learn from all other organizations. We reconceptualize the firm-level construct absorptive capacity as a learning dyad-level construct, relative absorptive capacity. One firm’s ability to learn from another firm is argued to depend on the similarity of both firms ’ (1) knowledge bases, (2) organizational structures and compensation policies, and (3) dominant logics. We then test the model using a sample of pharmaceutical–biotechnology R&D alliances. As predicted, the similarity of the partners ’ basic knowledge, lower management formalization, research centrali-zation, compensation practices, and research communities were positively related to interorgani-zational learning. The relative absorptive capacity measures are also shown to have greater explanatory power than the established measure of absorptive capacity, R&D spending.
Keyphrases
relative absorptive capacity interorganizational learning absorptive capacity explanatory power new external knowledge established measure interorgani-zational learning knowledge base organizational structure prior research dominant logic equal capacity management formalization compensation policy partner basic knowledge research centrali-zation compensation practice firm ability pharmaceutical biotechnology alliance research community relative absorptive capacity measure dyad-level construct firm-level construct absorptive capacity
