Social Capital and Learning Advantages: A Problem of Absorptive Capacity

Mathew Hughes, Robert E. Morgan, R. Duane Ireland, Paul Hughes · 2014 · Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal

Summary. Social capital and network relationships don't directly improve firm performance. Instead, absorptive capacity—a firm's ability to recognize, assimilate, and apply new knowledge—mediates and moderates how learning through networks translates into business results. The study challenges the assumption that new firms automatically gain performance advantages from their social connections.

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Hughes, M., Morgan, R. E., Ireland, R. D., & Hughes, P.. (2014). Social Capital and Learning Advantages: A Problem of Absorptive Capacity. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/sej.1162

@article{hughes-2014-social-capital-learning-advantages-problem,
  title   = {Social Capital and Learning Advantages: A Problem of Absorptive Capacity},
  author  = {Mathew Hughes and Robert E. Morgan and R. Duane Ireland and Paul Hughes},
  journal = {Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal},
  year    = {2014},
  doi     = {10.1002/sej.1162},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1002/sej.1162}
}

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AU  - Mathew Hughes
AU  - Robert E. Morgan
AU  - R. Duane Ireland
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Details

DOI: 10.1002/sej.1162
Countries: United Kingdom, United States
Regions: Europe, North America
Categories: innovation-networks, entrepreneurship, innovation-theory, general-innovation
Added: 2026-04-28