Untangling the mystery of absorptive capacity: A process or a set of success factors?

The absorptive capacity of an organization is its ability to translate the knowledge sourced from outside into commercial benefits. Having gained a certain academic interest, the mechanism of the absorptive capacity phenomenon is still puzzling. This paper provides some limited confirmation of earlier frameworks; however, absorptive capacity is demonstrated to be a set of interrelated success factors rather than a sequential process of knowledge articulation in a company. The new model of absorptive capacity proposed encompasses four dimensions: continuing development, bottom-up innovation, trust-based internal cooperation, and deferred knowledge use. The continuing development facet entails a strong positive impact on organizational performance, while the bottom-up innovation dimension deteriorates it. Trust-based internal cooperation and deferred knowledge use report mixed results.