Scholarlink

<p>Increasing global competitive pressures compel firms to continuously pursue innovation as a strategic necessity. Within this environment, collaborations with universities play a central role, as these institutions act as key generators and facilitators of knowledge transfer. This study examines the impact of knowledge transfer (KT) on firms’ innovation outcomes—specifically product and process innovation—and explores the moderating role of absorptive capacity (AC) in shaping the relationship between KT and firms’ innovative performance. Additionally, the study provides a comparative assessment of knowledge obtained from domestic and international sources. The empirical analysis relies on logistic regression models applied to a sample of 12,884 observations from 14 countries, drawn from the Eurostat Community Innovation Survey database. The findings indicate that both national and international knowledge transfer significantly enhance firms’ innovation activities, with particularly strong effects observed in product innovation. The results further suggest that absorptive capacity, particularly when associated with internal research and development (R&amp;D) activities, plays a significant moderating role in the link between knowledge transfer and innovation outcomes. However, no significant moderating effects are identified for other absorptive capacity indicators, including the continuity of internal R&amp;D departments, training and R&amp;D competencies, or the presence of employees with tertiary education. This study is subject to limitations related to the characteristics of the dataset employed. Nevertheless, the findings offer important managerial implications and suggest several avenues for future research. From a theoretical perspective, the study advances existing knowledge by strengthening the understanding of the role of knowledge transfer in fostering innovation and by highlighting the conditions under which absorptive capacity influences this relationship. From a policy standpoint, the results contribute to a deeper understanding of university–industry collaboration, emphasizing the importance of knowledge transfer in enhancing firms’ innovative capabilities and clarifying the role of absorptive capacity in shaping this dynamic.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Knowledge Transfer and Firm Innovation: The Conditioning Role of Absorptive Capacity in University–Industry Collaboration

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月24日

查看全文
  • Natália de Lima Figueiredo,
  • Cristina I. Fernandes,
  • José Luis Abrantes

摘要

Increasing global competitive pressures compel firms to continuously pursue innovation as a strategic necessity. Within this environment, collaborations with universities play a central role, as these institutions act as key generators and facilitators of knowledge transfer. This study examines the impact of knowledge transfer (KT) on firms’ innovation outcomes—specifically product and process innovation—and explores the moderating role of absorptive capacity (AC) in shaping the relationship between KT and firms’ innovative performance. Additionally, the study provides a comparative assessment of knowledge obtained from domestic and international sources. The empirical analysis relies on logistic regression models applied to a sample of 12,884 observations from 14 countries, drawn from the Eurostat Community Innovation Survey database. The findings indicate that both national and international knowledge transfer significantly enhance firms’ innovation activities, with particularly strong effects observed in product innovation. The results further suggest that absorptive capacity, particularly when associated with internal research and development (R&D) activities, plays a significant moderating role in the link between knowledge transfer and innovation outcomes. However, no significant moderating effects are identified for other absorptive capacity indicators, including the continuity of internal R&D departments, training and R&D competencies, or the presence of employees with tertiary education. This study is subject to limitations related to the characteristics of the dataset employed. Nevertheless, the findings offer important managerial implications and suggest several avenues for future research. From a theoretical perspective, the study advances existing knowledge by strengthening the understanding of the role of knowledge transfer in fostering innovation and by highlighting the conditions under which absorptive capacity influences this relationship. From a policy standpoint, the results contribute to a deeper understanding of university–industry collaboration, emphasizing the importance of knowledge transfer in enhancing firms’ innovative capabilities and clarifying the role of absorptive capacity in shaping this dynamic.