PERSPECTIVE—Absorbing the Concept of Absorptive Capacity: How to Realize Its Potential in the Organization Field

Henk Volberda, Nicolai J. Foss, Marjorie A. Lyles · 2010 · Organization Science

Summary. This paper reviews twenty years of research on absorptive capacity—an organization's ability to recognize, assimilate, and apply new knowledge. The authors identify major gaps in existing literature: most studies focus on tangible outcomes while neglecting organizational design and individual-level factors. They propose an integrative model showing how individual, organizational, and inter-organizational factors work together across multiple levels to influence innovation and firm performance, and call for research bridging micro and macro antecedents.

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Volberda, H., Foss, N. J., & Lyles, M. A.. (2010). PERSPECTIVE—Absorbing the Concept of Absorptive Capacity: How to Realize Its Potential in the Organization Field. Organization Science. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0503

@article{volberda-2010-perspective-absorbing-concept-absorptive-capacity,
  title   = {PERSPECTIVE—Absorbing the Concept of Absorptive Capacity: How to Realize Its Potential in the Organization Field},
  author  = {Henk Volberda and Nicolai J. Foss and Marjorie A. Lyles},
  journal = {Organization Science},
  year    = {2010},
  doi     = {10.1287/orsc.1090.0503},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0503}
}

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TI  - PERSPECTIVE—Absorbing the Concept of Absorptive Capacity: How to Realize Its Potential in the Organization Field
AU  - Henk Volberda
AU  - Nicolai J. Foss
AU  - Marjorie A. Lyles
JO  - Organization Science
PY  - 2010
DO  - 10.1287/orsc.1090.0503
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Details

DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1090.0503
Countries: Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, United States
Regions: Europe, North America
Categories: innovation-theory, innovation-networks, general-innovation
Added: 2026-04-28