Absorptive capacity: review and research agenda

Kamal Sakhdari

Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Tehran

Abstract: Absorptive capacity (ACAP) is one of the most valued concepts introduced in recent decades. This construct has been widely used and tested in different fields such as strategic management, knowledge management, open innovation and corporate entrepreneurship. Yet, there is less systematic review of the expanding body of knowledge on ACAP in recent years to aid us understand how and why this capacity can be utilised for organisational outputs. In this vein, this paper first reviews previous empirical studies on ACAP and provides an integrative model, synthesizing prior research. We then recongnise under-investigated themes and provide suggestions for future research.

Keywords: Absorptive capacity, innovation, organisational outputs, Research and Development (R&D).