Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning

Strategic Management JournalVolume 19, Issue 5 p. 461-477 Research Article Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning Peter J. Lane, Corresponding Author Peter J. Lane School of Business, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A.School of Business, Indiana University, 801 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5151, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this authorMichael Lubatkin, Michael Lubatkin School of Business Administration, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, U.S.A. Groupe ESC, Lyon, FranceSearch for more papers by this author Peter J. Lane, Corresponding Author Peter J. Lane School of Business, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A.School of Business, Indiana University, 801 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5151, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this authorMichael Lubatkin, Michael Lubatkin School of Business Administration, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, U.S.A. Groupe ESC, Lyon, FranceSearch for more papers by this author First published: 04 December 1998 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199805)19:5<461::AID-SMJ953>3.0.CO;2-LCitations: 2,387AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Much of the prior research on interorganizational learning has focused on the role of absorptive capacity, a firm's ability to value, assimilate, and utilize new external knowledge. However, this definition of the construct suggests that a firm has an equal capacity to learn from all other organizations. We reconceptualize the firm-level construct absorptive capacity as a learning dyad-level construct, relative absorptive capacity. One firm's ability to learn from another firm is argued to depend on the similarity of both firms' (1) knowledge bases, (2) organizational structures and compensation policies, and (3) dominant logics. We then test the model using a sample of pharmaceutical–biotechnology R&D alliances. As predicted, the similarity of the partners' basic knowledge, lower management formalization, research centralization, compensation practices, and research communities were positively related to interorganizational learning. The relative absorptive capacity measures are also shown to have greater explanatory power than the established measure of absorptive capacity, R&D spending. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Citing Literature Volume19, Issue5May 1998Pages 461-477 RelatedInformation