Purpose

In spite of the increased attention on knowledge management processes as important variables for firms to generate performance benefits within supply chain literature, little is known about how these variables could impact offshoring innovation (OI) relationships held by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Considering their growing importance, this study aims to investigate the interplay between the internal knowledge creation capability, absorptive capacity and formal knowledge routines in attaining OI performance benefits for SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in the knowledge-based view theory, this study forwards various hypotheses between the variables of interests. The authors test the hypotheses using survey data collected from 200 European SMEs that engage in offshore supplier relationships.

Findings

The findings suggest that internal knowledge creation capability is positively associated to absorptive capacity. Not only is absorptive capacity positively associated to OI performance outcomes but it also positively mediates the effect of internal knowledge creation capability on OI performance. Additionally, formal knowledge-sharing routines negatively moderate the relationship between absorptive capacity and OI performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the supply chain as well as SMEs innovation literature by empirically showing that through enhanced internal knowledge creation capability, absorptive capacity goes beyond merely accessing and assimilating the supplier’s knowledge to achieve innovation gains. The results suggest that to succeed in gaining knowledge and subsequent performance benefits within OI, it is essential for SMEs to create and retain knowledge internally.

中文翻译：

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中小企业离岸创新中的知识管理：内部知识创造能力、吸收能力和正式知识共享程序的作用

目的

尽管知识管理流程作为企业在供应链文献中产生绩效收益的重要变量越来越受到关注，但对于这些变量如何影响中小型企业 (SME) 持有的离岸创新 (OI) 关系知之甚少. 考虑到它们日益增长的重要性，本研究旨在调查内部知识创造能力、吸收能力和正式知识惯例在为中小企业获得 OI 绩效收益方面的相互作用。

设计/方法/方法

本研究以知识为基础的观点理论为基础，提出了利益变量之间的各种假设。作者使用从 200 家从事离岸供应商关系的欧洲中小企业收集的调查数据来检验这些假设。

发现

研究结果表明，内部知识创造能力与吸收能力呈正相关。吸收能力不仅与 OI 绩效结果呈正相关，而且还正向调节内部知识创造能力对 OI 绩效的影响。此外，正式的知识共享程序会负面调节吸收能力和 OI 绩效之间的关系。

原创性/价值

本研究通过实证表明，通过增强内部知识创造能力，吸收能力不仅仅是获取和吸收供应商的知识以实现创新收益，从而有助于供应链和中小企业的创新文献。结果表明，要在 OI 中成功获得知识和随后的绩效收益，中小企业必须在内部创造和保留知识。