Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity

Bart Nooteboom; Wim Vanhaverbeke; Geert Duysters; Victor Gilsing; Ad Van Den Oord

Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity

Bart Nooteboom^*
, Wim Vanhaverbeke
, Geert Duysters
, Victor Gilsing
, Ad Van Den Oord

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Conference › Paper › Academic

Abstract

Our study tests hypotheses concerning the relation between innovative performance and cognitive distance in inter-firm alliances. The central hypothesis is that performance is an inverted-U shaped function of cognitive distance, which implies a certain optimal cognitive distance. A second hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is higher for exploratory than for exploitative learning. A third hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is a function of absorptive capacity, which depends on cumulative past R&D. Most hypotheses are confirmed on the basis of data from 994 alliances in a variety of industries, in the ten-year period 1986-1996. The results indicate a new hypothesis that with a large stock of knowledge one needs greater cognitive distance for further novelty.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2005
Externally published	Yes
Event	65th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, AOM 2005 - Honolulu, HI, United States Duration: 5 Aug 2005 → 10 Aug 2005

Conference

Conference	65th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, AOM 2005
Country/Territory	United States
City	Honolulu, HI
Period	5/08/05 → 10/08/05

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Keywords

Cognitive distance
Interoganizational learning
Strategic alliances

Persistent URL (handle)

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Cite this

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title = "Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity",

abstract = "Our study tests hypotheses concerning the relation between innovative performance and cognitive distance in inter-firm alliances. The central hypothesis is that performance is an inverted-U shaped function of cognitive distance, which implies a certain optimal cognitive distance. A second hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is higher for exploratory than for exploitative learning. A third hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is a function of absorptive capacity, which depends on cumulative past R\&D. Most hypotheses are confirmed on the basis of data from 994 alliances in a variety of industries, in the ten-year period 1986-1996. The results indicate a new hypothesis that with a large stock of knowledge one needs greater cognitive distance for further novelty.",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity

AU - Nooteboom, Bart

AU - Vanhaverbeke, Wim

AU - Duysters, Geert

AU - Gilsing, Victor

AU - Van Den Oord, Ad

PY - 2005/12/1

Y1 - 2005/12/1

N2 - Our study tests hypotheses concerning the relation between innovative performance and cognitive distance in inter-firm alliances. The central hypothesis is that performance is an inverted-U shaped function of cognitive distance, which implies a certain optimal cognitive distance. A second hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is higher for exploratory than for exploitative learning. A third hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is a function of absorptive capacity, which depends on cumulative past R&D. Most hypotheses are confirmed on the basis of data from 994 alliances in a variety of industries, in the ten-year period 1986-1996. The results indicate a new hypothesis that with a large stock of knowledge one needs greater cognitive distance for further novelty.

AB - Our study tests hypotheses concerning the relation between innovative performance and cognitive distance in inter-firm alliances. The central hypothesis is that performance is an inverted-U shaped function of cognitive distance, which implies a certain optimal cognitive distance. A second hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is higher for exploratory than for exploitative learning. A third hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is a function of absorptive capacity, which depends on cumulative past R&D. Most hypotheses are confirmed on the basis of data from 994 alliances in a variety of industries, in the ten-year period 1986-1996. The results indicate a new hypothesis that with a large stock of knowledge one needs greater cognitive distance for further novelty.

KW - Cognitive distance

KW - Interoganizational learning

KW - Strategic alliances

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84859019081

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84859019081#tab=citedBy

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84859019081

T2 - 65th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, AOM 2005

Y2 - 5 August 2005 through 10 August 2005

ER -

Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Persistent URL (handle)

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Cite this