Capacidad de Absorción: Revisión Crítica y Proposición de un Modelo Teórico (Absorptive Capacity: Critical Review and Proposition of a Theoretical Model)

Absorptive capacity may be defined as a dynamic capability that allows firms to recognise the value of new external knowledge, assimilate and apply it with commercial purposes. It is a multidimensional construct whose dimensions are generally considered as knowledge acquisition, assimilation, transformation and application. Nevertheless, there are a number of ambiguities about the own concept, which make it difficult the depiction of the knowledge absorption process and its dimensions. Therefore, this paper revises the main contributions on this topic and construct, along with its antecedents and consequences. Based on this review, we develop a number of theoretical ideas and we propose a new configuration for knowledge absorptive process. This new model stresses the importance of knowledge identification and understanding process as previous stage for knowledge acquisition and its role in the entire absorptive process.