Linking Training to Organizational Performance: An Absorptive Capacity-Based View. Case Study Method in Spanish Family Businesses

Abstract

Even though there is a plethora of studies that analyze the effects of training on organizational performance, it is not clear how this transfer process of training to results takes place. The absorptive dynamic capability could be the core concept, which could help explain this transfer process of training translates into results. The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach to determine whether absorptive capacity mediates the connection between training and performance in Spanish family businesses (Absorptive Capacity-Based View). We illustrate our point by means of six case studies of Spanish family businesses, through the case study method.

KEYWORDS:

• absorptive capacity
• case study method
• dynamic capabilities
• family business
• intellectual capital
• knowledge
• organizational performance
• training