Exploitation Of External Knowledge Research Articles

Knowledge management capability and outbound open innovation: Unpacking the role of desorptive capacity

AbstractAs firms seek multiple pathways for growth and competitiveness, effectively commercialising internal technologies leads to outbound open innovation. Both absorptive capacity and desorptive capacity are knowledge management capabilities crucial for open innovation. While absorptive capacity is well explored by researchers, studies around desorptive capacity are scarce. This study addresses recent calls for a more in‐depth exploration of the role of desorptive capacity, which is still in its cradle stage. Firstly, a synthesis of the literature on desorptive capacity was conducted from related fields like open innovation, external knowledge exploitation, technology transfer, technology commercialisation, and so on. Then, based on the synthesis, a theoretical framework was formulated to explain the role of desorptive capacity in enabling firms to identify, transfer and commercialise their internal technology outside their firm boundaries. Testable propositions were formulated around the role, antecedents and consequences of desorptive capacity. The findings were discussed along with a comparison between absorptive and desorptive capacities. The implications for both theory and practice are listed. The paper concludes by enumerating the limitations of this study and offering future research directions.

Leveraging Knowledge-Based Features With Multilevel Attention Mechanisms for Short Arabic Text Classification

With the wide spread of short texts through social media platforms, there has become a growing need for effective methods for short-text classification. However, short-text classification has always been challenging due to the ambiguity and the data sparsity of the short text. A common solution is to enrich the short text with additional semantic features extracted from external knowledge, such as Wikipedia, to help the classifier better decide on the correct class. Most existing works, however, focused on text written in English and benefited from the existence of entity-linking tools based on English-based knowledge bases. When it comes to the Arabic language, the exploitation of external knowledge to support the classification of Arabic short text has not been widely explored. This work presents an approach for the classification of short Arabic text that exploits both the Wikipedia-based features and the attention mechanism for effective classification. First, Wikipedia entities mentioned in the short text are identified. Then, Wikipedia categories associated with the identified entities are retrieved and filtered to retain only the most relevant categories. A deep learning model with multiple attention mechanisms is then used to encode the short text and the associated category set. Finally, the short text and category representations are combined together to be fed into the classification layer. The use of the attentive model with category filtering leads to highlighting the most important features while reducing the effect of improper features. Finally, the proposed model is evaluated by comparing it with several deep learning models.

Exploitation of External Knowledge with Absorptive Capacity and Boundary Work in SMEs

Exploitation of External Knowledge with Absorptive Capacity and Boundary Work in SMEs

Orchestrating absorptive capacity: organizational catalysts of TMT’s influence

ObjetivoEste estudo tem como objetivo analisar a influência do top management team (TMT) e as capacidades de socialização de uma empresa em sua capacidade de absorção. Especificamente, este artigo examina a diversidade e a coordenação do TMT como “facilitadores” com potencial para desencadear os processos envolvidos no desenvolvimento da capacidade de absorção de negócios e, em segundo lugar, estuda um efeito de mediação da coordenação de TMT para através das capacidades de socialização da organização.Design/metodologia/abordagemA análise é baseada em uma amostra 96 empresas de manufatura em um país em desenvolvimento. Devido ao modelo sugerido, bem como ao tamanho da amostra, optamos por uma metodologia PLS-SEM.ResultadosOs resultados mostram que a diversidade do TMT não está significativamente relacionada à capacidade de absorção da empresa. Além disso, as evidências enfatizam que a coordenação das TMT influencia a capacidade de absorção da empresa quando é efetivamente complementada por mecanismos estruturais que visam promover maior comunicação, colaboração e coesão entre os membros de uma organização.Implicações práticasConfigurar um TMT simplesmente para ter diversidade ou garantir a coordenação entre os membros da equipe não é suficiente para estimular a capacidade de absorção da empresa. Um alinhamento de um TMT coordenado com a possibilidade de os funcionários se comunicarem livremente através de áreas funcionais e limites hierárquicos é um pré-requisito para a aquisição, assimilação, transformação e exploração de conhecimento externo.Originalidade/valorEste artigo apresenta um referencial teórico que destaca a influência do TMT em diferentes dimensões da capacidade de absorção. Com base na teoria do escalão superior, sugerimos que essa relação é muito importante, uma vez que a medida em que o conhecimento é adquirido, integrado e explorado dentro da empresa pode depender da configuração e estrutura de colaboração do TMT. Os autores consideram que este estudo levanta novas considerações sobre os esforços para entender como os recursos e capacidades individuais (por exemplo, configuração TMT) podem ser transformados em uma capacidade sistêmica baseada no conhecimento (por exemplo, capacidade de absorção)Palavras chaveCapacidade de absorção, Equipe de alta gerência, Capacidade de socialização, Coordenação da equipe de alta gerência, D da equipe de alta gerência, PLS-SEMTipo de artigoArtigo de pesquisa

Determinants of innovation capacity in medium-sized firms

This paper aims to analyse the determinants of innovation capacity in medium-sized firms. It analyses the following factors: culture of participative leadership, work climate and well-being, ideation and organization structures, development of know-how, exploitation of external knowledge, regeneration and individual activity. The approach of this study is descriptive quantitative field and not experimental. The project used a data collection questionnaire with 21 items, to a sample of medium-sized companies in Valledupar, Colombia. The results indicate that the determinants of innovation capacity are present in the companies analysed in the study. Additionally, the ANOVA results show that there are significant differences between the culture factor and participative leadership, with the factor of regeneration. Likewise, there are differences between the exploitation of external knowledge and working climate and well-being, ideation and organizational structures, development of know-how, regeneration and individual activity.

Impacts of network relationships on absorptive capacity in the context of innovation

ABSTRACT Knowledge acquired through external network relationships is widely accepted as one of the most important resources for a firm to be innovative. This is especially true for the networked tourism industry, where capabilities associated with the acquisition, assimilation and exploitation of external knowledge (‘absorptive capacity’) are paramount. While several studies highlight the importance of network relationships to acquire new knowledge, most of them remain vague in explaining their impact on the assimilation and exploitation of the knowledge. This paper investigates the impacts of network relationships on absorptive capacity dimensions. A quantitative survey among 378 hotel businesses was carried out to measure network participation and relationship quality as well as the absorptive capacity. Regression models reveal that the quality of external relationships and the overall network size implicate access and availability of valuable knowledge and positively affect the organization’s capacity to assimilate and exploit the knowledge in pursuit of innovation.

Institutional pressure and the implementation of corporate environment practices: examining the mediating role of absorptive capacity

PurposeContemporary frameworks on institutional theory and corporate environmentalism observe that institutional fields positively influence a firm’s environmental response in the form of implementation of environmental practices. These frameworks, however, provide little evidence on why firms facing similar institutional field differ in their environmental response. This paper aims to incorporate the intra-organizational dynamics within the traditional institutional theory framework to address this heterogeneity, examining specifically the role of absorptive capacity for environmental knowledge in the organizational implementation of corporate environmental practices.Design/methodology/approachIntegrating the institutional theory and resource-based view, this paper examines the mediating role of absorptive capacity in the relationship between institutional pressure for corporate environmentalism vis-a-vis the implementation of corporate environmental practices. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used for hypotheses testing based on data obtained from the Indian apparel and textile industry.FindingsThe results support the mediating role of absorptive capacity in the relationship between institutional pressure and implementation of corporate environmental practices. Further, this study highlights the importance of acquisition and utilization of environmental knowledge in driving environmentalism through developing absorptive capacity; the findings also suggest that the role of institutional pressure in the implementation of environmental practices should not be analyzed in isolation but rather in conjunction with the development of absorptive capacity that forms the internal basis of implementation.Practical implicationsManagers need to focus on the development of organizational capabilities for acquiring and exploiting environmental knowledge to complement their preparedness in responding to any institutional pressures for environmental sustainability. Firms also need to link their environmental orientation with various sources of environmental knowledge and capabilities residing outside the organizational boundaries. It is important to note here that the development of absorptive capacities for the exploration and exploitation of external knowledge is indeed both required and necessary to build sustainable organizational capabilities.Originality/valueThis paper is among the very few studies that address the issue of knowledge and development of related organizational capabilities for corporate environmentalism. Recognizing that environmental knowledge resides outside organizational boundaries with regulatory agencies and special interest groups, this paper highlights the importance of developing organizational capabilities for the acquisition and exploitation of environmental knowledge.

Geographic dispersion and co-location in global R&D portfolios: Consequences for firm performance

We examine how the ways in which firms geographically configure their global portfolios of R&D units influence the effectiveness of firms’ own R&D investments and of external technical knowledge in enhancing firm performance. Our analysis indicates that the strength of these effects depends on the extent to which firms spread their R&D units across countries (geographic dispersion of R&D) and the extent to which firms establish multiple R&D units within each country (co-location of R&D). We show that geographic dispersion and co-location are associated with distinct value creation and value capture mechanisms and in turn lead to different performance outcomes. Although geographic dispersion enhances the effects of a firm’s own R&D on its performance, R&D co-location limits such effects. These relationships are reversed when we consider the effects of external technical knowledge on firm performance. R&D co-location, rather than geographic dispersion, is what renders the exploitation of external knowledge more effective in enhancing firm performance. Our results suggest that future research should shift its focus from the degree of R&D globalization to how a portfolio is globalized and geographically structured.

Capacidad de respuesta y capacidad de absorción. Estudio de empresas manufactureras en México

Absorptive capacity is the mechanism for companies to acquire, assimilate and exploit new knowledge from abroad and respond assertively. Strategic orientation is perceived when that knowledge is expanded to create the desired results. The purpose is to analyze the relationship between absorptive capacity and organizational responsiveness, as well as to demonstrate the moderation of strategic orientation in this relationship. The results show that the dimensions of the absorption capacity: acquisition, assimilation and exploitation of external knowledge as well as strategic orientation are positive predictors of organizational response capacity. Using a hierarchical regression model, it is identified that the strategic orientation neither amplifies nor attenuates the relationship between absorption capacity and response capacity. The response capacity is expected to increase when organizations develop absorption capacity and strategic orientation.

Outbound open innovation in bio-pharmaceutical out-licensing

Our study investigates the outbound open innovation of firms engaged in technological venturing. Leveraging insights from the sociology theory and innovation literatures, we clarify whether social status helps entrepreneurial ventures overcome market imperfection and information asymmetry in out-licensing and illustrate the importance of specific aspects of social status building in this context. We also examine the effect of failure experiences on out-licensing. We take a dynamic view of desorptive capacity by studying an entrepreneurial venture’s learning process, both internally, in terms of its own technology trajectory, and externally, through inter-organizational alliances. We apply a negative binomial model to our novel panel of 180 firms studied over an 18-year period with controls for stocks of clinical development activities, patenting and prior licensing activities. Empirical analysis enables us to observe the impact which the firms’ technological and development status, reputation and desorptive capacity exert upon out-licensing volume. Prior outbound open innovation studies do not account for the heterogeneity of technology and R&D success and failure experiences observed in our study. We also demonstrate the contingency effect of external learning from alliances during the building-up of a firm’s desorptive capacity, or the way in which the number of co-authoring partners in scientific publications negatively moderates the positive effect of the number of commercial alliances on the volume of its out-licensing deals. Our findings contribute to the understanding of external knowledge exploitation and complement important aspects of the literatures on outbound open innovation and desorptive capacity, offering empirically rich insights for bio-pharmaceutical firms into the drivers behind volumes of out-licensing deals.

Propuesta de un indicador de capacidad de absorción del conocimiento (ICAC-COL): evidencia empírica para el sector servicios en Colombia

<p>La “capacidad de absorción” es una capacidad dinámica reconocida por desarrollar habilidades de aprendizaje y explotación del conocimiento externo. Esta investigación propuso un Indicador de Capacidad de Absorción para Colombia denominado (ICAC-Col), utilizando los datos de la Encuesta de Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica realizada en Colombia, EDITS III para el sector servicios. Los resultados arrojan un nivel insuficiente de capacidad de absorción del conocimiento en el sector servicios, resaltando los sectores de transporte aéreo y servicios de gestión ambiental por poseer mayores capacidades para administrar el conocimiento, reflejando la necesidad de políticas públicas que impulsen actividades de gestión del conocimiento.</p>

Early Efforts to Develop Absorptive Capacity and Their Performance Implications

This paper examines efforts to develop absorptive capacity (ACAP) for new ventures and its performance implications. Being in their first years of existence, new ventures have the urgency to amass knowledge to compete, yet face severe resource limitations in trying to do so. The urgency and scarcity under which ACAP should be built varies between corporate ventures (CVs) and ventures created by independent entrepreneurs (IVs), affecting not only the emphasis their managers put on building different ACAP dimensions, but also their performance gains from ACAP dimensions. Using data from 140 new ventures, our results show that CVs emphasize potential ACAP (acquisition and assimilation of external knowledge) more than IVs. Conversely, IVs focus more on exploiting external knowledge. We also find that efforts to activate realized ACAP (transformation and exploitation of external knowledge) impair the performance of new ventures more for CVs than IVs. But this negative effect is mitigated when combined with efforts in potential ACAP in the case of CVs. These findings have implications for research into the multidimensional nature of ACAP and the dynamic capabilities approach while highlight the distinct and particular nature of firms at their early stages of development.

Multitarget Tracking With Multiscan Knowledge Exploitation Using Sequential MCMC Sampling

Exploitation of external knowledge through constrained filtering guarantees improved performance. In this paper we show how multiscan processing of such information further enhances the track accuracy. This can be achieved using a Fixed-Lag Smoothing procedure, and a proof of improvement is given in terms of entropy reduction. Such multiscan algorithm, i.e., named KB-Smoother (“Fixed-lag smoothing for Bayes optimal exploitation of external knowledge,” F. Papi , Proc. 15th Int. Conf. Inf. Fusion, 2012) can be implemented by means of a SIR-PF. In practice, the SIR-PF suffers from depletion problems, which are further amplified by the Smoothing technique. Sequential MCMC methods represent an efficient alternative to the standard SIR-PF approach. Furthermore, by borrowing techniques from genetic algorithms, a fully parallelizable multitarget tracker can be defined. Such approach, i.e., named Interacting Population (IP)-MCMC-PF, was first introduced in “Multitarget tracking with interacting population-based MCMC-PF” (M Bocquel , Proc. 15th Int. Conf. Inf. Fusion, 2012). In this paper, we propose and analyze a combination of the KB-Smoother along with the IP-MCMC-PF. As will be shown, the combination of the two methods yields an improved track accuracy while mitigating the loss of particles diversity. Simulation analyses for single and multitarget tracking scenarios confirm the benefits of the proposed approach.

Knowledge related activities in open innovation: managers' characteristics and practices

Theory and practice both have recognised the importance of external knowledge to enhance organisations’ innovation performance. Due to organisations’ growing interest in effectively collaborating with external knowledge sources, research has investigated the importance of firm-external stakeholder interaction in open innovation. Despite valuable insights into the importance of the variety of external knowledge sources to enhance (open) innovation, research has overlooked so far that managers’ characteristics and practices are relevant for the absorption of external knowledge in open innovation. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore how organisations’ absorptive capacity – exploration, transformation, and exploitation – becomes manifested in managers’ characteristics and practices in open innovation. This article reports on the findings obtained from four case studies of manufacturing and service organisations. Our findings show that the exploration, transformation, and exploitation of external knowledge are associated with a distinct set of managers’ characteristics and practices that capture the dominant pattern of processing external knowledge in open innovation.

Retraction Notice to “Not-Sold-Here: How Attitudes Influence External Knowledge Exploitation” [Organization Science (2010) 21(5):1054–1071

The article “Not-Sold-Here: How Attitudes Influence External Knowledge Exploitation” (Organization Science (2010) 21(5):1054–1071, DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1090.0499) is being retracted after an assessment that the work violates INFORMS publication standards in two important respects. First, the citation to highly related prior work by the first two authors is quite incomplete. As a result, it was not possible to assess the novelty of the work. In addition, there is reason to believe that key results in the paper would not hold if variables included in this related work had been incorporated into the analysis. Note. This statement of the retraction differs from the print version to be more precise.

General technological capabilities, product market fragmentation, and markets for technology

The combination of a firm capability (i.e., ability to generate general purpose technologies) and a market structure condition (i.e., fragmentation of downstream submarkets) may encourage licensing in an industry. That is, the probability of licensing should increase when product markets are fragmented and technologies support general purposes. Evidence consistent with these predictions emerges from a 1993 to 2001 panel of 87 firms that owned at least one U.S. software security patent between 1976 and 2001. The analysis uncovers some fundamental characteristics of how external knowledge exploitation functions; in particular, technology markets thrive when product markets are fragmented and firms have the capability to produce general technologies.

Absorptive capacity: Relevancy for large and small enterprises

Background: Over the years, there has been a growing interest in organisational research in the absorptive capacity (AC) construct, but only a few theoretical and empirical studies on this topic have been carried out over the last decade. However, a number of scholars and practitioners have continued to cite AC as a significant factor in determining the success or failure of organisations. With the dramatic changes in business environments, there has been a growing rise in the use of knowledge by organisations to help improve and maintain their competitiveness and consequently their survival. AC is a fundamental element that helps organisations to gain competitive advantage by producing commercial products or services through the transformation of knowledge.Objective: The purpose of this article is thus to provide a review of the literature on this subject with the aim of finding out how both large and small enterprises stand to benefit from AC. We intend to affirm that, by successfully carrying out a learning process that is characterised by the exploration and exploitation of external knowledge and the organisation’s current knowledge base, organisations can realise competitive advantage irrespective of their size.Method: In the literature search, three approaches were employed, namely academic databases, online search engines and a review of references of related studies which led to more relevant articles and works whose references were further reviewed and analysed. Content analysis was done on all collected articles for quality appraisal and synthesis, the results of which we present as discussions on various sections of this paper leading to answering of our study objective. Only peer-reviewed articles were used.Results: Our findings reveal that, irrespective of the organisation’s size, it can benefit significantly from AC. The study further reveal that AC is a strong predictor of an organisation’s performance and hence a strategic asset for the organisation. Organisations with high AC are able to learn how to utilise new knowledge within their processes and come up with changes that improve their competitive advantage.Conclusion: We submit that, because AC is a strong predictor of an organisation’s performance, it is imperative that the necessary measures are taken to improve the levels of AC for all firms, irrespective of their size.

New Product Development and Absorptive Capacity in Industrial Districts: A Multidimensional Approach

Expósito-Langa M., Molina-Morales F. X. and Capó-Vicedo J. New product development and absorptive capacity in industrial districts: a multidimensional approach, Regional Studies. This research studies to what extent the absorptive capacity of a firm influences its capacity to exploit new opportunities through new products, particularly in a specific context of industrial districts. A multidimensional approach to the absorptive capacity concept is used to distinguish between identification, assimilation, and exploitation of external knowledge. The population of companies belonging to a Spanish textile district is studied. Findings suggest that information and knowledge that a company receives from external sources provide the company with the necessary abilities to innovate. In the present case, the greater the absorptive capacity, the greater the innovation capacity for the company. Expósito-Langa M., Molina-Morales F. X. et Capó-Vicedo J. La mise au point des produits nouveaux et la capacité d’absorption dans les districts industriels: une façon multi-dimensionnelle, Regional Studies. Cette recherche étudie jusqu’à quel point la capacité d’absorption d’une entreprise influe sur sa capacité d’exploiter de nouvelles possibilités par moyen des produits nouveaux, notamment dans le contexte des districts industriels. On applique une façon multidimensionnelle à la notion de capacité d’absorption afin de distinguer entre l’identification, l’assimilation et l’exploitation de la connaissance externe. On étudie le parc d’entreprises implanté sur un district du textile en Espagne. Les résultats laissent supposer que l’information et la connaissance que reçoit une entreprise des sources externes fournissent ce dont elles ont besoin pour innover. Il s’avère de la présente étude que la plus grande est la capacité d’absorption, la plus grande est la capacité d’innovation. Capacité d’absorption Connaissance District industriel Innovation Mise au point des produits nouveaux Expósito-Langa M., Molina-Morales F. X. und Capó-Vicedo J. Die Entwicklung neuer Produkte und die absorptive Kapazität in Industriebezirken: ein multidimensionaler Ansatz, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag untersuchen wir, in welchem Ausmaß sich insbesondere im spezifischen Kontext der Industriebezirke die absorptive Kapazität einer Firma auf ihre Kapazität auswirkt, neue Gelegenheiten durch neue Produkte zu nutzen. Zur Unterscheidung zwischen der Identifizierung, der Assimilation und der Nutzung von externem Wissen wird ein multidimensionaler Ansatz für die absorptive Kapazität herangezogen. Untersucht wurden die Firmen eines Textilbezirks in Spanien. Aus den Ergebnissen geht hervor, dass die Informationen und das Wissen, die eine Firma von externen Quellen bezieht, der Firma die nötigen Fähigkeiten zur Innovation verleihen. Im vorliegenden Fall gilt, dass die innovative Kapazität einer Firma um so größer ausfällt, je größer ihre absorptive Kapazität ist. Absorptive Kapazität Wissen Industriebezirk Innovation Entwicklung neuer Produkte Expósito-Langa M., Molina-Morales F. X. y Capó-Vicedo J. Desarrollo de nuevos productos y capacidad de absorción en distritos industriales. Una aproximación multidimensional, Regional Studies. El presente trabajo estudia el efecto de la capacidad de absorción en la empresa sobre el desarrollo de nuevos productos, dentro de un contexto de distrito industrial. Utilizamos una aproximación multidimensional para el concepto de la capacidad de absorción con el objeto de distinguir entre la identificación, asimilación y explotación de conocimiento. Hemos trabajado con empresas pertenecientes al distrito industrial textil español. Los resultados sugieren que las externalidades que la empresa recibe en forma de información y conocimiento de su entorno, junto a las habilidades internas necesarias, benefician su proceso de innovación. De forma particular, el desarrollo de la capacidad de absorción en la empresa favorece su capacidad innovadora. Capacidad de absorción Conocimiento Distrito industrial Innovación Desarrollo de nuevos productos

Not-Sold-Here: How Attitudes Influence External Knowledge Exploitation

Employee attitudes with regard to the usefulness of external knowledge may influence a firm's extent of inter-organizational knowledge transactions. Prior research has focused on “not-invented-here (NIH)” tendencies, which refer to negative attitudes in organizations toward the acquisition of knowledge from external sources. In this research, we develop the concept of “not-sold-here (NSH)” tendencies, which result from protective attitudes in firms toward the external exploitation of knowledge, for example, technology licensing. We show conceptually how NSH tendencies develop and how they can influence the extent of outward knowledge transfer. We test five hypotheses regarding antecedents and consequences of NSH tendencies with data from 152 firms spanning multiple industries. The empirical findings show that NSH tendencies exist in organizations and that they constitute a major barrier to the implementation of external knowledge commercialization strategies. The concept of NSH therefore helps explain the varying degrees of activity in external knowledge exploitation, and it contributes to understanding particular microfoundations of dynamic capabilities.

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