Revisiting the Concept of Absorptive Capacity: The Moderating Effects of Market Sensing and Responsiveness

Abstract

This study proposes new moderators acting on well-established antecedents of absorptive capacity. We treat separately the two dimensions of potential absorptive capacity and realized absorptive capacity. We first examine the moderating effect of market sensing on the relationship between coordination capability and potential absorptive capacity. Then, we assess the moderating effect of market responsiveness on the links between organizational systems and socialization processes and realized absorptive capacity. We draw on multilevel analysis with data from 205 managers from the banking sector in Turkey to test our hypothesized relationships. Our contribution reveals interesting insights on the contingent effects of market sensing and responsiveness for the emergence of absorptive capacity. Market sensing moderates the relationship between coordination capability and potential absorptive capacity, while market responsiveness moderates the relationships between organizational systems and socialization processes and realized absorptive capacity. The findings provide important implications for theory and practice on developing potential and realized absorptive capacity.