Knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity: interdependency and complementarity
Journal of Knowledge Management
ISSN: 1367-3270
Article publication date: 20 July 2020
Issue publication date: 8 September 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to resolve contradictions in the literature regarding the relationship between knowledge sharing (KS) and absorptive capacity (AC). The authors analyze the reasons for which KS has been interpreted as an antecedent and those for which it has been seen as a consequent of AC.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a systematic review of the literature to identify the arguments supporting the relationships between the constructs and propose a model. Additionally, the hypotheses were tested using SEM to assess the proposed model.
Findings
The findings reveal the nature of the relationship between KS and AC. Suggesting AC is bi-dimensional, consisting of potential AC and realized AC, while the relationship between these two dimensions depends on KS.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides consistent theoretical grounds for future empirical research. The study findings demonstrate KS provides a real contribution towards AC, validating the previous literature on the impact of KS antecedents on realized AC. Additionally, the authors provide evidence to suggest knowledge donation is an output of the AC process, thus generating a debate on the nature of knowledge donation (requested vs unrequested), which raises interesting research questions to be addressed in the future. As a limitation, empirical data was only collected in the context of software development in two countries.
Practical implications
The results elucidate the central role of knowledge collection within AC. For managers, the importance of the role of knowledge collection to fully benefit from AC and exploit knowledge is highlighted.
Originality/value
The research design is original in that it combines a systematic and integrative literature review to the ground and propose hypotheses with empirically testing of the emerging model. The study clarifies the relationship between KS and AC, providing evidence to show knowledge donation is an output of the AC process. The benefits of this study can be seen at the team and firm-level.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the support provided by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil, Brasil, scholarship Programa de Doutorado-sanduíche no Exterior/Processo no 88881.132892/2016-01), CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Brazil) and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), national funding through research grant UIDB/04521/2020.
Citation
Balle, A.R., Oliveira, M. and Curado, C.M.M. (2020), "Knowledge sharing and absorptive capacity: interdependency and complementarity", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 24 No. 8, pp. 1943-1964. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-12-2019-0686
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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