The Impact of Absorptive Capacity on Innovation: The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning

Rafael Sancho-Zamora, Felipe Hernández-Perlines, Isidro Peña-García and Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano
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Rafael Sancho-Zamora: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Law and Social Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13003 Ciudad Real, Spain
Felipe Hernández-Perlines: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Law and Social Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain
Isidro Peña-García: Department of Business Administration, School of Computer Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13003 Ciudad Real, Spain
Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social Science, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45600 Talavera de la Reina, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Although the relevant literature has already demonstrated the impact that absorptive capacity has on companies’ innovation capacity, we have found few studies that analyze the role of learning capability in this relationship. The main objective of this study was to examine the role of organizational learning in this relationship. For this purpose, a quantitative research approach was used. A total of 306 valid questionnaires were obtained from small and medium-sized Spanish companies in different sectors. The collected data were analyzed using the multivariate Partial Least Square (PLS) quantitative structural equation technique. According to the result, absorption capacity turns into innovation mainly when learning capacity is involved in this process. This study provides empirical evidence of this relationship and fills this gap. It can also help organizations understand and clarify what would be the most appropriate way in to manage knowledge to improve their innovation levels.

Keywords: innovation capacity; absorptive capacity; learning capabilities; small and medium enterprises; knowledge management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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