External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs

Lei Pi; Kristin Paetzold; Roland Ortt

doi:10.1109/ICE.2018.8436253

External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs

Lei Pi, Kristin Paetzold, Roland Ortt

Economics of Technology and Innovation

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

External knowledge plays important roles in firms' internal innovation activities. Firms need to develop absorptive capabilities and carefully manage the knowledge absorbing processes to better benefit from external knowledge. This study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate how Chinese SMEs absorb external knowledge. We examined how external knowledge is recognized, assimilated, utilized in a sample of 16 SMEs, and what barriers they may face when absorbing external knowledge. This paper extends current literature on organizational absorptive capabilities by revealing some of the key issues or sub-activities underlying each dimension of the concept of absorptive capabilities.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018 - Proceedings
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
ISBN (Print)	9781538614693
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ICE.2018.8436253
Publication status	Published - 2018
Event	2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018 - Stuttgart, Germany Duration: 17 Jun 2018 → 20 Jun 2018

Conference

Conference	2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018
Abbreviated title	ICE/ITMC 2018
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Stuttgart
Period	17/06/18 → 20/06/18

Keywords

absorptive capabilities (AC)
external knowledge
organizational learning
personal network
SMEs

Access to Document

10.1109/ICE.2018.8436253

Cite this

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title = "External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs",

abstract = "External knowledge plays important roles in firms' internal innovation activities. Firms need to develop absorptive capabilities and carefully manage the knowledge absorbing processes to better benefit from external knowledge. This study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate how Chinese SMEs absorb external knowledge. We examined how external knowledge is recognized, assimilated, utilized in a sample of 16 SMEs, and what barriers they may face when absorbing external knowledge. This paper extends current literature on organizational absorptive capabilities by revealing some of the key issues or sub-activities underlying each dimension of the concept of absorptive capabilities.",

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Pi, L, Paetzold, K & Ortt, R 2018, External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs. in 2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018 - Proceedings., 8436253, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018, Stuttgart, Germany, 17/06/18. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICE.2018.8436253

External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs. / Pi, Lei; Paetzold, Kristin; Ortt, Roland.
2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2018 - Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2018. 8436253.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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PY - 2018

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AB - External knowledge plays important roles in firms' internal innovation activities. Firms need to develop absorptive capabilities and carefully manage the knowledge absorbing processes to better benefit from external knowledge. This study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate how Chinese SMEs absorb external knowledge. We examined how external knowledge is recognized, assimilated, utilized in a sample of 16 SMEs, and what barriers they may face when absorbing external knowledge. This paper extends current literature on organizational absorptive capabilities by revealing some of the key issues or sub-activities underlying each dimension of the concept of absorptive capabilities.

KW - absorptive capabilities (AC)

KW - external knowledge

KW - organizational learning

KW - personal network

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Y2 - 17 June 2018 through 20 June 2018

ER -

External Knowledge Absorption in SMEs

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