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The purpose of this paper is to theoretically develop and empirically explore knowledge absorption, combination and desorption within and between organizations.

On the basis of knowledge-based view and absorptive capacity, the authors have conducted a multiple-case study to develop a theoretically grounded and empirically supported model of intra- and inter-firm knowledge cycles.

Firms identify their knowledge gaps and stocks, both tacit and explicit, undertaking efforts to fill the latter and maximize the value of the former. The paper finds that knowledge exploration, integration and exploitation both within the firm and between firms relies on absorptive, combinative and desorptive capacities. Further, as such capacities are organizationally expensive to maintain, firms will often emphasize one capacity over the other and focus either internally or externally to meet organizational goals.

While there is extensive research into absorptive capacity and some into combinative capacity, there is little empirical investigation of desorptive capacity and none into the integration of the three concepts; this paper seeks to fill that gap. Moreover, the resulting novel integrative model allows managers and researchers to identify the various capacities in use and their applications within the firm and between firms.

The aim of this paper is to adopt a study framework of network embeddedness and social capital perspective, and to explore the relationship among relationship strength, knowledge integration capability and the efficiency of knowledge transfer among technology alliance.

Empirical data were acquired through a recent survey of electrical and mechanical, biopharmaceutical and chemical industries. LISREL analysis was employed to examine the impact of relationship strength and integration capability on the efficiency of knowledge transfer.

The results verify that relationship strength has a significant positive impact on cooperative knowledge transfer and external integration capability, but it cannot influence innovative knowledge and internal integration capability. The internal knowledge integration capacity has a positive influence on the external integration capacity, but the external knowledge integration does not have significant impact on the internal integration capacity. Combined with the external integration capability, relationship strength's indirect influence on cooperative knowledge transfer is greater than the direct one.

Strengthening knowledge integration capacity is the key to improve the efficiency of knowledge transfer by taking advantage of partnerships. The enterprise should adjust the relationship strength according to the function matching of the knowledge.

This paper is one of very few that provide empirical evidence of the impact of relationship strength and integration capability on the performance of knowledge transfer. It provides necessary basis for the enterprise to lay out and establish the technology alliance, which the enterprise should adjust the type of union according to the characteristic of the knowledge during the process of planning the technology alliance. This paper also suggests that the enterprises should make full use of technology alliance to enhance the external integration ability.

This research examines the differential impact of the importance of internally and externally sourced information and knowledge and their relationship to absorptive capacity and firm performance. In addition, this analysis deals directly with the unobservable heterogeneity amongst firms that is generally viewed as the raison d'être for a unique resource-based perspective of organizational performance. Latent class, finite mixture regression models are used that show that a single model relating knowledge sourcing, absorptive capacity and firm performance is inadequate in explaining even a minor portion of the variation which is seen between firms.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the key determinants of innovation performance of a firm in a cluster. This paper probes the role of absorptive capacity in furthering the cluster linkages and thereby enhancing the innovation performance of a firm.

This study adopts stratified random sampling technique to choose sample firms from the identified population of firms in a cluster. Further, it employs primary data collection method to collect data from sample firms through a semi-structured questionnaire based in-depth interviews with the top level management of sample firms. It uses multiple linear regression (MLR) techniques to ascertain the influence of absorptive capacity on degree of cluster linkages (both intra-cluster and extra-cluster linkages), and degree of cluster linkages (both intra-cluster and extra-cluster linkages) on innovation performance of a firm.

On the one hand, internal factors of absorptive capacity of a firm have a significant positive influence on the degrees of both intra-cluster linkages and extra-cluster linkages. On the other hand, external factors of absorptive capacity of a firm significantly impact the degree of intra-cluster linkages (DICL). But, they have no significant influence on the degree of extra-cluster linkages (DECL). Further, both the DICL and the DECL drive innovation performance of a firm in a cluster. Notably, subsidiaries of externally based firms exhibit superior innovation performance compared to those firms based in a cluster.

This paper contributes to the extant literature in two ways. First, it empirically validates the effect of absorptive capacity of a firm on its degree of cluster linkages (both intra-cluster and extra-cluster linkages) taking into account both internal and external factors of absorptive capacity. Second, it ascertains the influence of degree of cluster linkages (both intra-cluster and extra-cluster linkages) on the innovation performance of a firm in a cluster.

Cross-docking is a supply chain distribution and logistics strategy for which less-than-truckload shipments are consolidated into full-truckload shipments. Goods are stored up to a maximum of 24 hours in a cross-docking terminal. In this chapter, we build on the literature review by Ladier and Alpan (2016), who reviewed cross-docking research and conducted interviews with cross-docking managers to find research gaps and provide recommendations for future research. We conduct a systematic literature review, following the framework by Ladier and Alpan (2016), on cross-docking literature from 2015 up to 2020. We focus on papers that consider the intersection of research and industry, e.g., case studies or studies presenting real-world data. We investigate whether the research has changed according to the recommendations of Ladier and Alpan (2016). Additionally, we examine the adoption of Industry 4.0 practices in cross-docking research, e.g., related to features of the physical internet, the Internet of Things and cyber-physical systems in cross-docking methodologies or case studies. We conclude that only small adaptations have been done based on the recommendations of Ladier and Alpan (2016), but we see growing attention for Industry 4.0 concepts in cross-docking, especially for physical internet hubs.

Absorptive capacity has been defined as an organization's ability to recognize the value of new information, assimilate it, and apply it to productive ends. This study aims to examine the type of organization culture that influences the capacity of hospital organizations to innovate by absorbing new technology and the importance of this absorptive capacity in information technology (IT) implementation success.

Based on previous research, this study proposes a measure of absorptive capacity that includes managerial IT knowledge and communication channels and tests its relationship to the level of success implementing new systems. A sample of 192 hospital administrators shared their opinions about their organizations culture, ability to absorb new technology, and the extent to which their latest IT implementation operational for at least one year has been a success.

The results show the importance of organization culture as an important factor in developing absorptive capacity, and the latter's influence in the implementation of new technologies.

The study provides insights into the types of activities that management should undertake in order to enhance absorptive hospital capacity.

The research purpose is to analyse when and how innovation support programmes (ISPs) can affect collaboration between universities and established small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The paper specifically considers SME’s absorptive capacity.

A Swedish research centre is studied in the context of innovation support and two of its SME-ISPs are examined with regards to industry–university collaboration and impact on firm innovation capabilities. Data collection and analysis are performed, using interviews, survey answers, document search and reflectional analysis to evaluate processes and effects of the centre and the programmes.

A developed research centre, integrated into both academia and industry, can support translational collaboration and promote SME innovation absorptive capacity. The action learning elements and the organisational development approaches used when coaching in the ISPs contribute to the SMEs internal absorption capacity and collaborational skills. Organising collaboration into ISPs can provide a relational path to future collaboration with universities, which, for example start with student projects.

The study, though limited to one Swedish region, adds to empirical innovation research as it connects industry–university collaboration and absorptive capacity to organisational learning.

The empirical results indicate possible long-term gains for industry and universities in building collaborative innovation into SME-ISPs.

The contribution of this study pertains to the practice of innovation support for established SMEs with the inclusion of absorption capacity and collaborative innovation development.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the processes of interconnectedness in cross-functional relationships involved in customer value enabling.

In total, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted in three Brazilian companies from different industries. The critical incident technique was used for data collection and analysis. Content analysis was used to characterize the critical incidents within functional area networks.

Six main critical incidents were identified within the studied relationships: process, urgency, lack of trust, capacity and demand imbalance, motivation and challenge. The results show situations in which the collaborative behavior of the actors generates customer value facilitation.

The firms studied are small and medium, located in an emerging economy and are resource-constrained. Further research could be performed in organizations in other countries with different sizes and resources. Future studies could also include customers within the analyzed functional networks to evaluate value-in-use behavior.

Process, as a critical incident, may be composed of several elements that could affect the processes of value creation. Moreover, the adjustment between production capacity and demand should focus on avoiding propagation of functional problems through the processes. This focus may facilitate spontaneous community behavior and customer knowledge renewal.

This paper generates new qualitative bases to characterize the interconnectedness within functional networks within the perspective of relationship marketing. The study of the internal functions and processes revealed several particularities that are not evidenced in the extant literature, which is concentrated in relationships among companies. The quality of the relationship among the members of a functional network may affect the effectiveness of the promises of customer value, more specifically in value enabling.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the value of using a systematic literature review to develop an integrated framework for information and knowledge management systems.

First, the systematic literature review method is introduced, differentiating it from traditional literature reviews in terms of value-added and limitations. Second, this methodology is used in a research application focused on absorptive capacity internal capabilities with regard to the processes of acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation. Third, an integrated framework for information and knowledge management systems is developed from this application.

The systematic literature review approach provides a rigor that can assist in reducing researcher bias while simultaneously enabling the definition of a precise scope of review, with a clear explanation of selection criteria with the objective to find and review all the studies that are relevant to the search definitions. As a research method, it effectively supports a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methodology.

This methodology was applied to one specific area of research. Specific limitations include the availability of articles in subscribed databases and the analytical capabilities of the tools used for text mining and analytics.

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of the systematic literature review methodology in developing an integrated framework for analysis.

This paper aims to provide a theoretical frame and practical experience for understanding and improving knowledge creation in the RIC. This paper proved through an empirical study that knowledge transfer, knowledge assimilation and knowledge sharing between firms in a resource-based industry chain (RIC) have positive influence on knowledge creation.

A theoretical model covering knowledge transfer, knowledge assimilation, knowledge sharing and knowledge creation is established in this paper. The research object is the phosphorus chemical industry chain in central Guizhou.

The findings of this paper provide a theoretical frame and practical experience for understanding and improving knowledge creation in the RIC.

The subjective measures of knowledge capacities present a serious limitation. Another limitation is that the authors examined knowledge creation within the context of RIC. The cross-sectional design prevented the authors from studying causal relationships among the variables.

First, it contributes to the knowledge creation of inter-organization literature. Second, it contributes to the studies of knowledge creation in supply chains. Third, this study demonstrates the importance of investigating the strong network embeddedness and industry property of RIC, which have a critic effect on the capabilities of knowledge sharing, transfer and assimilation.