The impact of technology absorptive capacity on technology transfer performance

Abstract

Although there have been many empirical studies regarding the key success factors of technology transfer performance, technology absorptive capacity is seldom discussed. In practice, firms could not assimilate and apply the external knowledge successfully without greater technology absorptive capacity. Therefore, the current study explores the associations among technology absorptive capacity and its critical factors including organisational cultures, technology diffusion channels, intra- and inter-organisational interaction mechanisms, and R&D resources, and finally their impacts on transfer performance. The data were collected from Taiwanese electronic and chemical manufacturing firms by questionnaire surveys, and the analyses were conducted by factor analysis and a LISREL model. After the data analyses and the interviews with some R&&D managers, we found that the results reveal a three-stage process of influence. First, the organisational cultures influence intra- and inter-organisational interactions and R&D resources. Secondly, organisational cultures, technology diffusion channels, organisational interactions, and R&D resources show impacts on technology absorptive capacity. Finally, by presenting the effect of technology absorptive capacity on technology transfer performance, we conclude that diverse organisational cultures, organisational interactions, R&D resources and technology absorptive capacity will result in a different technology transfer performance.