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From Potential Absorptive Capacity to Knowledge Creation in Organisations: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Storage and Realised Absorptive Capacity

Author

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  • Vítor Costa

    (Departamento de Psicologia e Educação, Universidade da Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro s/n, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal)

  • Samuel Monteiro

    (Departamento de Psicologia e Educação, Universidade da Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro s/n, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal†Research Center in Business Sciences (NECE-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro s/n, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal)

Abstract

The present research explores the role of knowledge storage and documentation and realised absorptive capacity as mediating variables between potential absorptive capacity and internal knowledge creation. The theoretical model is developed and further tested with a sample of 111 organisations from multiple industry sectors. The results show that the technology-driven process of knowledge storage and documentation, as well as the realised absorptive capacity of the respondent companies, reinforces the human-driven process of internal knowledge creation, and mediates, individually and jointly, the relationship between potential absorptive capacity and intra-firm knowledge creation. Mediation analysis relies on the use of bootstrapping confidence intervals. The authors draw practical implications for organisational psychologists and human resources managers. The small sample size and the cross-sectional design limit the generalisation of the present findings. Further research should explore the complementarity of absorptive capacity phases with other knowledge management processes that could enable the creation of new knowledge in organisations.

Suggested Citation

  • Vítor Costa & Samuel Monteiro, 2018. "From Potential Absorptive Capacity to Knowledge Creation in Organisations: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Storage and Realised Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(01), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:jikmxx:v:17:y:2018:i:01:n:s0219649218500065
    DOI: 10.1142/S0219649218500065
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