Absorptive capacity and in-company routines: modelling knowledge creation in the tourism industry

ABSTRACT

Absorptive capacity creates valuable competitive advantages. However, the tourism sector lacks an empirical analysis of how absorptive capacity is generated and how different organisational capabilities impact on its creation. The objective of this study is to identify which are the organisational capacities that generate absorptive capacity in this sector. To do so, we develop an empirical study using the partial least square (PLS) based on 86 Ecuadorian companies, which represents a new and potent tourism destination. Our results reveal that existing knowledge consolidation, the centralisation of decision-making, knowledge formalisation, connectedness, and knowledge-management infrastructures directly and positively influence the absorptive capacity. Direct managerial implications arise, which highlight what mechanisms help create and foster absorptive capacity within companies at the touristic industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Absorptive capacity
• innovation
• tourism industry
• knowledge creation
• organisational capabilities
• innovation capability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.