IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v42y2017i6d10.1007_s10961-016-9532-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Developing a sustainable competitive advantage: absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer and organizational learning

Author

Listed:
  • Shu-Hsien Liao

    (Tamkang University)

  • Chih-Chiang Chen

    (Air Force Academy)

  • Da-Chian Hu

    (Jinwen University of Science and Technology)

  • Yu-chun Chung

    (Tamkang University)

  • Min-Ju Yang

    (Tamkang University)

Abstract

This study proposes a theoretical model to investigate a sustainable competitive advantage (CA) by developing the absorptive capacity (AC), knowledge transfer (TR), organizational learning (OL) and in Taiwan’s financial and high technology industries. Structural equation modeling is employed to examine the influence between each variable and whether their relationships are varied in these two different industries. The study population comprises the top 100 financial and top 1000 high-technology enterprises in Taiwan published by Common Wealth Magazine in 2012. A total of 345 valid responses were collected. The research results indicate that OL serves as partial and full mediators between AC, TR and CA respectively. In addition, moderating effect exists in different industries on the theoretical model. Finally, discussion and implications are described for concluding research findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Shu-Hsien Liao & Chih-Chiang Chen & Da-Chian Hu & Yu-chun Chung & Min-Ju Yang, 2017. "Developing a sustainable competitive advantage: absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer and organizational learning," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(6), pages 1431-1450, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:42:y:2017:i:6:d:10.1007_s10961-016-9532-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-016-9532-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-016-9532-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-016-9532-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1992. "Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 383-397, August.
    2. Li, Suhong & Ragu-Nathan, Bhanu & Ragu-Nathan, T.S. & Subba Rao, S., 2006. "The impact of supply chain management practices on competitive advantage and organizational performance," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 107-124, April.
    3. Escribano, Alvaro & Fosfuri, Andrea & Tribó, Josep A., 2009. "Managing external knowledge flows: The moderating role of absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 96-105, February.
    4. Zahra, Shaker A. & Hayton, James C., 2008. "The effect of international venturing on firm performance: The moderating influence of absorptive capacity," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 195-220, March.
    5. Paul Almeida & Bruce Kogut, 1999. "Localization of Knowledge and the Mobility of Engineers in Regional Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(7), pages 905-917, July.
    6. Charles Dhanaraj & Marjorie A Lyles & H Kevin Steensma & Laszlo Tihanyi, 2004. "Managing tacit and explicit knowledge transfer in IJVs: the role of relational embeddedness and the impact on performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 428-442, September.
    7. Rosa Caiazza & Aileen Richardson & David Audretsch, 2015. "Knowledge effects on competitiveness: from firms to regional advantage," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(6), pages 899-909, December.
    8. Yuandi Wang & Zhao Zhou & Jason Li-Ying, 2013. "The impact of licensed-knowledge attributes on the innovation performance of licensee firms: evidence from the Chinese electronic industry," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(5), pages 699-715, October.
    9. D Minbaeva & T Pedersen & I Björkman & C F Fey & H J Park, 2003. "MNC knowledge transfer, subsidiary absorptive capacity, and HRM," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(6), pages 586-599, November.
    10. Boyd, Britta & Hollensen, Svend, 2012. "Strategic management of a family-owned airline: Analysing the absorptive capacity of Cimber Sterling Group A/S," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 70-78.
    11. Claudio Cozza & Antonello Zanfei, 2016. "Firm heterogeneity, absorptive capacity and technical linkages with external parties in Italy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 872-890, August.
    12. Argote, Linda & Ingram, Paul, 2000. "Knowledge Transfer: A Basis for Competitive Advantage in Firms," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 150-169, May.
    13. George P. Huber, 1991. "Organizational Learning: The Contributing Processes and the Literatures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 88-115, February.
    14. Techatassanasoontorn, Angsana A. & Tapia, Andrea H. & Powell, Alison, 2010. "Learning processes in municipal broadband projects: An absorptive capacity perspective," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 572-595, November.
    15. Fosfuri, Andrea & Tribø, Josep A., 2008. "Exploring the antecedents of potential absorptive capacity and its impact on innovation performance," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 173-187, April.
    16. Chua, Ai Ling & Pan, Shan L., 2008. "Knowledge transfer and organizational learning in IS offshore sourcing," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 267-281, April.
    17. Ya-Hui Ling, 2013. "The influence of intellectual capital on organizational performance—Knowledge management as moderator," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 937-964, September.
    18. Kuo-Feng Huang & Chwo-Ming Yu, 2011. "The effect of competitive and non-competitive R&D collaboration on firm innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 383-403, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. A. Alexander & Dominique Philippe Martin & C. Manolchev & K. Miller, 2020. "University–industry collaboration: using meta-rules to overcome barriers to knowledge transfer," Post-Print halshs-01935697, HAL.
    2. Hu, Dianxi & Jiao, Jianling & Tang, Yunshu & Xu, Yuwen & Zha, Jianrui, 2022. "How global value chain participation affects green technology innovation processes: A moderated mediation model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Erik E. Lehmann & Matthias Menter & Katharine Wirsching, 2022. "University spillovers, absorptive capacities, and firm performance," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 12(1), pages 125-150, March.
    2. Burcharth, Ana Luiza Lara de Araújo & Lettl, Christopher & Ulhøi, John Parm, 2015. "Extending organizational antecedents of absorptive capacity: Organizational characteristics that encourage experimentation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 90(PA), pages 269-284.
    3. Fassio, Claudio & Geuna, Aldo & Rossi, Federica, 2019. "International knowledge flows between industry inventors and universities: The role of multinational companies," Papers in Innovation Studies 2019/13, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    4. Zheng, Lu & Ulrich, Klaus & Sendra-García, Javier, 2021. "Qualitative comparative analysis: Configurational paths to innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 83-93.
    5. Hammady Ahmed DINE RABEH, 2013. "Firm Resources’ Entanglement Determines ITS Absorptive Capacity: A Review Towards A New Reconceptualization," Working Papers 270, Laboratoire de Recherche sur l'Industrie et l'Innovation. ULCO / Research Unit on Industry and Innovation.
    6. Ipsita Roy, 2018. "Role of human resource practices in absorptive capacity and R&D cooperation," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 885-913, September.
    7. Hongxin Zhao & Muammer Ozer & Weidong Rong & Reuben Mondejar, 2019. "Do Management Innovations of Indigenous Firms Benefit from Managerial Spillovers from Multinational Enterprises?," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 919-947, December.
    8. Chila, Vilma, 2021. "Knowledge dynamics in employee entrepreneurship : Implications for parents and offspring," Other publications TiSEM a1f5d18c-783b-4af6-8414-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    9. Weidner, Nadia & Som, Oliver & Horvat, Djerdj, 2023. "An integrated conceptual framework for analysing heterogeneous configurations of absorptive capacity in manufacturing firms with the DUI innovation mode," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    10. Hongxin Zhao, 2015. "Are Social Ties Always Valuable to Knowledge Search? Contextualizing Knowledge Search by Foreign Subsidiary Executives in an Emerging Economy," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 511-538, August.
    11. Scott W. Hegerty & Arkadiusz M. Kowalski & Małgorzata S. Lewandowska, 2023. "Complementarity of additionalities resulting from European Union funds: Perspective of the users of research infrastructures," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(2), pages 307-331, March.
    12. Linda Argote & Ella Miron-Spektor, 2011. "Organizational Learning: From Experience to Knowledge," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1123-1137, October.
    13. Tammy L. Madsen & Elaine Mosakowski & Srilata Zaheer, 2003. "Knowledge Retention and Personnel Mobility: The Nondisruptive Effects of Inflows of Experience," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(2), pages 173-191, April.
    14. Latukha, M. & Veselova, A. & Selivanovskikh, L. & Artukh, E. & Mitskevich, E., 2016. "Re-thinking the role of talent management in a firm’s performance: Talent management practices and absorptive capacity," Working Papers 6442, Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University.
    15. Mennens, Kars & van Gils, Anita & Odekerken - Schröder, Gaby & Letterie, Wilko, 2016. "Exploring Antecedents of Service Innovation Excellence in Manufacturing SMEs," Research Memorandum 025, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    16. Pantic-Dragisic, Svjetlana & Söderlund, Jonas, 2020. "Swift transition and knowledge cycling: Key capabilities for successful technical and engineering consulting?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    17. Sajjad Jasimuddin & Jun Li & Nicholas Perdikis, 2015. "Linkage between geographic space and knowledge transfer by multinational enterprises: a structural equation approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 769-795, May.
    18. Camisón, César & Forés, Beatriz, 2011. "Knowledge creation and absorptive capacity: The effect of intra-district shared competences," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 66-86, March.
    19. Jatinder S. Sidhu & Harry R. Commandeur & Henk W. Volberda, 2007. "The Multifaceted Nature of Exploration and Exploitation: Value of Supply, Demand, and Spatial Search for Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(1), pages 20-38, February.
    20. Tepic, M. & Trienekens, Jacques H. & Hoste, R. & Omta, S.W.F. (Onno), 2012. "The Influence of Networking and Absorptive Capacity on the Innovativeness of Farmers in the Dutch Pork Sector," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(3), pages 1-34, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:42:y:2017:i:6:d:10.1007_s10961-016-9532-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.