Absorptive Capacity in Buyer–supplier Relationships: Empirical Evidence of Its Mediating Role

María Jesús Sáenz, Elena Revilla, Desirée Knoppen · 2013 · Journal of Supply Chain Management

Summary. Absorptive capacity—the ability to identify, assimilate, and exploit external knowledge—mediates the relationship between organizational compatibility and performance outcomes in buyer-supplier relationships. Analysis of 153 and 199 companies supplying major retailers and distributors shows that compatibility alone does not ensure innovation and efficiency gains. Absorptive capacity drives these improvements, particularly for innovation under high demand uncertainty. Managers must prioritize partners' learning capabilities, not just compatibility.

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Sáenz, M. J., Revilla, E., & Knoppen, D.. (2013). Absorptive Capacity in Buyer–supplier Relationships: Empirical Evidence of Its Mediating Role. Journal of Supply Chain Management. https://doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12020

@article{s-enz-2013-absorptive-capacity-buyer-supplier-relationships,
  title   = {Absorptive Capacity in Buyer–supplier Relationships: Empirical Evidence of Its Mediating Role},
  author  = {María Jesús Sáenz and Elena Revilla and Desirée Knoppen},
  journal = {Journal of Supply Chain Management},
  year    = {2013},
  doi     = {10.1111/jscm.12020},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12020}
}

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TI  - Absorptive Capacity in Buyer–supplier Relationships: Empirical Evidence of Its Mediating Role
AU  - María Jesús Sáenz
AU  - Elena Revilla
AU  - Desirée Knoppen
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DO  - 10.1111/jscm.12020
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Details

DOI: 10.1111/jscm.12020
Countries: United States
Regions: North America
Categories: innovation-networks, innovation-theory, general-innovation
Added: 2026-04-28