Purpose

We investigate the impact of Absorptive Capacity (ACAP) for SMEs embedded in Collaborative Networks (CNs) on innovation performance, considering the network stages and the influence of partnership quality.

Design/methodology/approach

We use a mixed methodology consisting of a qualitative than a quantitative phase. The first stage relies on an in-depth literature review and 22 interviews with 17 manufacturing SMEs having operated in collaborative innovation projects to characterize the potential and realized ACAP of such SMEs in the creation and operation stages of a CN. The second phase aims at testing four hypotheses through a hierarchical regression based on 74 responses to a survey involving SMEs with prior CN experience.

Findings

Our results explain how an SME’s ACAP in the creation stage affects its ACAP in the operation stage. We also demonstrate that this latter capability contributes positively to innovation performance in the CN. Furthermore, partnership quality was found to have counterproductive effects regarding potential ACAP.

Practical implications

We provide manufacturing SMEs with guidance to deploy ACAP throughout their collaborative experience and overcome the potential pitfalls of good partnership quality.

Originality/value

We operationalize ACAP of manufacturing SMEs to contribute to mutual innovation goals in CNs and uncover its properties. We explain how this dynamic capability accumulates over the CN stages to result in higher innovation performance and show how it helps in striking a balance between the “dark” and “virtuous” sides of partnership quality.

中文翻译：

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中小企业在协作网络中进行创新：在良好的合作伙伴质量时期，吸收能力对创新绩效有何影响？

目的

考虑网络阶段和合作伙伴质量的影响，我们调查了嵌入在协作网络（CN）中的中小企业的吸收能力（ACAP）对创新绩效的影响。

设计/方法/方法

我们使用的是定性阶段而不是定量阶段的混合方法。第一阶段依靠深入的文献综述和对17家从事合作创新项目的制造业中小企业的22次访谈，以表征此类中小企业在CN的创建和运营阶段的潜力和已实现的ACAP。第二阶段旨在通过对74位对具有CN经验的中小型企业的调查做出的回答为基础，通过层次回归来检验四个假设。

发现

我们的结果说明了中小企业在创建阶段的ACAP如何影响其在运营阶段的ACAP。我们还证明了后者的能力为CN的创新绩效做出了积极贡献。此外，发现伙伴关系质量对潜在的ACAP有反作用。

实际影响

我们为制造业中小型企业提供指导，以在他们的整个合作经验中部署ACAP，并克服良好合作伙伴质量的潜在陷阱。

创意/价值

我们对制造业中小型企业的ACAP进行运营，以为CN的互助目标做出贡献并发现其属性。我们将解释这种动态能力如何在CN阶段累积起来，从而带来更高的创新绩效，并说明它如何帮助实现伙伴关系质量的“黑暗”和“虚拟”方面之间的平衡。