Absorptive capacity

Absorptive capacity

In business administration, absorptive capacity is theory or model used to measure a firm's ability to value, assimilate, and apply new knowledge. It is studied on multiple levels (individual, group, firm, and national level). Antecedents are prior-based knowledge (knowledge stocks and knowledge flows) as well as communication. It is studied involving a firm's innovation performance, aspiration level, and organizational learning.

Absorptive capacity is also said to be a reason for companies to invest in R&D instead of simply buying the results (e.g. patents). Internal R&D teams increase the absorptive capacity of a company.

The theory was first introduced in 1990 by Cohen and Levinthal. [Cohen and Levinthal (1990), "Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation", "Administrative Science Quarterly", Volume 35, Issue 1 pg. 128-152.] It involves organizational learning, industrial economics, the resource-based view of the firm and dynamic capabilities. This theory has undergone major refinement, and today a firm's absorptive capacity is mostly conceptualized as a dynamic capability. [Zahra and George (2002), "Absorptive Capacity: A Review,Reconceptualization,and Extenstion", "Academy of Management Review",Volume 27, Issue 2,pg.185-203]

Two concepts related to absorptive capacity are:

* Receptivity: The firm's overall ability to be aware of, identify and take effective advantage of technology. [Seaton & Cordey-Hayes (1993) - incomplete citation]

* Innovative Routines: Practised routines that define a set of competencies the firm is capable of doing confidently and the focus of the firm's innovation efforts. [Nelson & Winter (1982) - incomplete citation]

ee also

* Change management
* Adaptive capacity

Notes and references


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • absorptive capacity — sugerties geba statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Kūno sugertos ir į jį kritusios spinduliuotės srautų dalmuo. atitikmenys: angl. absorptive capacity vok. Absorptionvermögen, n rus. абсорбционная способность, f ryšiai:… …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • absorptive capacity — ability to receive, ability to soak up …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Capacity — is the ability to hold, receive or absorb, or a measure thereof, similar to the concept of volume.Capacity may also refer to: *Capacity (economics), the point of production at which a firm or industry s average (or per unit ) costs begin to rise …   Wikipedia

  • absorptive — adjective a) Having power, capacity, or tendency to absorb or imbibe. In practice, from that date onwards until recent times, the economic absorptive capacity of the country has been treated as the sole limiting factor... b) Having the capability …   Wiktionary

  • Absorptive — Ab*sorp tive, a. Having power, capacity, or tendency to absorb or imbibe. E. Darwin. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • absorptive power — sugerties geba statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. absorbing capacity; absorptive power; absorptivity vok. Absorptionsvermögen, n rus. поглощательная способность, f; поглощающая способность, f pranc. absorptivité, f; pouvoir absorbant, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • absorptive — (Roget s Thesaurus II) adjective Having a capacity or tendency to absorb or soak up: absorbent, assimilative, bibulous. See DRY …   English dictionary for students

  • absorptive power — power or capacity to absorb; tendency to absorb or soak up …   English contemporary dictionary

  • absorptive — adjective having power or capacity or tendency to absorb or soak up something (liquids or energy etc.) (Freq. 1) as absorbent as a sponge • Syn: ↑absorbent • Ant: ↑nonabsorbent (for: ↑absorbent) …   Useful english dictionary

  • absorbing capacity — sugerties geba statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. absorbing capacity; absorptive power; absorptivity vok. Absorptionsvermögen, n rus. поглощательная способность, f; поглощающая способность, f pranc. absorptivité, f; pouvoir absorbant, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”