Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore knowledge absorptive capacity (ACAP) (both potential and realized) and new product development (NPD) in bipolar entrepreneurial small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

In response to recent calls for research on knowledge ACAP and NPD in entrepreneurial SMEs, particularly in different contexts, this research aims to answer a specific question: What are the characteristics of ACAP (both potential and realized) and the salient issues concerning working complementarily between both types of ACAP to foster NPD in bipolar entrepreneurial SMEs (in this case, three new low-tech and three established high-tech cases)? The authors conduct case study research based on cross-case and within case analyses to answer the question.

Findings

The findings show that, in the established high-tech cases, realized ACAP plays an outsized role in developing new products and prior-related knowledge acts as a precondition for capturing useful knowledge from external sources (potential ACAP). On the contrary, in the new low-tech cases, potential ACAP is the key driver of NPD, so external knowledge from network ties becomes a crucial source of acquiring new knowledge, along with entrepreneurs’ level of skill at applying useful knowledge (realized ACAP) to achieve NPD.

Research limitations/implications

On the basis of the bipolar entrepreneurial SMEs (i.e. established high-tech and new low-tech ventures), the characteristics of entrepreneurial SMEs (i.e. firm’s age, size and level of technology) affect the different roles of realized and potential ACAP in driving NPD successes. Realized ACAP plays a critical role for NPD in established high-tech SMEs, whereas potential ACAP is the main driver of NPD in new low-tech SMEs. This research has some limitations that future research should conduct quantitative research in other industries’ context as well as in other countries.

Practical implications

For new ventures, they should be aware that to strengthen their network ties with customers and suppliers can be an important tool for not only overcoming their limitations of existing knowledge but also acquiring tacit knowledge from the external sources. For established high-tech ventures, they should focus not only on the short-term NPD (the achievement of current NPD) but also the long-term NPD (e.g. series of new products and new strategic alliances) that can help avoid a not-invented-here syndrome situation.

Social implications

The government should customize the policy to suit each targeted SME. Policymakers should play a crucial role of a linking pin among key external sources (e.g. R&D national and international institutions, SME banks and marketing agents) in different stages of the business cycle.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature of knowledge ACAP in SMEs to the understanding of the distinction roles of potential and realized ACAP as a mechanism in the different natures of entrepreneurial SMEs.

中文翻译：

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吸收能力和 NPD：双极创业型中小企业的突出问题

目的

本研究的目的是探索双极创业型中小企业 (SME) 的知识吸收能力 (ACAP)（潜在的和已实现的）和新产品开发 (NPD)。

设计/方法/方法

为了响应最近对创业型中小企业的知识 ACAP 和 NPD 研究的呼吁，特别是在不同的背景下，本研究旨在回答一个具体问题：ACAP（潜在的和已实现的）的特征是什么，以及关于在两者之间互补工作的突出问题两种类型的 ACAP 以促进双极创业型中小企业的 NPD（在这种情况下，三个新的低技术案例和三个已建立的高科技案例）？作者基于跨案例和案例分析进行案例研究以回答问题。

发现

研究结果表明，在既定的高科技案例中，意识到 ACAP 在开发新产品方面发挥着巨大的作用，而先验相关知识是从外部来源（潜在 ACAP）获取有用知识的先决条件。相反，在新的低技术案例中，潜在的 ACAP 是 NPD 的关键驱动力，因此来自网络关系的外部知识成为获取新知识的重要来源，以及企业家应用有用知识的技能水平（实现的 ACAP ) 来实现 NPD。

研究限制/影响

在双极创业型中小企业（即已成立的高科技企业和新的低技术企业）的基础上，创业型中小企业的特征（即企业的年龄、规模和技术水平）影响已实现和潜在的 ACAP 在推动 NPD 中的不同作用成功。已实现的 ACAP 对成熟的高科技中小企业的 NPD 起着关键作用，而潜在的 ACAP 是新的低技术中小企业 NPD 的主要驱动力。这项研究有一些局限性，未来的研究应该在其他行业以及其他国家的背景下进行定量研究。

实际影响

对于新企业，他们应该意识到加强与客户和供应商的网络联系不仅可以成为克服现有知识局限性的重要工具，还可以从外部获取隐性知识。对于成熟的高科技企业，他们不仅应该关注短期 NPD（当前 NPD 的实现），还应该关注长期 NPD（例如一系列新产品和新战略联盟），这有助于避免不发明了这里综合症的情况。

社会影响

政府应定制适合每个目标中小企业的政策。在商业周期的不同阶段，政策制定者应该在关键外部资源（如研发国家和国际机构、中小企业银行和营销代理）之间发挥关键作用。

原创性/价值

这项研究有助于了解中小企业中知识 ACAP 的文献，以了解潜在和已实现的 ACAP 作为一种机制在创业型中小企业的不同性质中的不同作用。