Knowledge catalysts: The role of generalist incumbents in post-hiring knowledge integration

Di Tong and Lee, Jeongsik “Jay”

Research Policy, 2024, vol. 53, issue 1

Abstract: Learning-by-hiring is deemed an important channel through which firms tap into external knowledge, yet recent research shows that, post-hiring, incumbent inventors make only limited use of hiring-brought knowledge. This study suggests the mix of generalists among hiring firm incumbent inventors as an important factor promoting the post-hiring use of hired inventors' pre-hire knowledge by incumbents, especially in entering unexperienced knowledge domains. Exploiting a series of U. S. State R&D tax credits policies as an exogenous shock to the composition of hiring firm inventors, we find evidence supportive of our propositions. Our study contributes to the learning-by-hiring literature by demonstrating the importance of a hiring firm's human capital composition in facilitating post-hiring knowledge integration.

Keywords: Learning-by-hiring; Human capital; Inventor mobility; Knowledge integration; Innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J6 M1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:respol:v:53:y:2024:i:1:s0048733323001944

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2023.104910

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