Marcio Lassance Cunha Filho

Composition of the Jury

Abstract

Regardless of company size, the ability to efficiently seek knowledge from external sources can explain significant differences in competitiveness between successful and unsuccessful businesses. Digital SMEs face a particular challenge. These organizations market products, services, or solutions based on proprietary digital technology—hardware or software. In addition to having limited resources compared to larger organizations, these SMEs must closely monitor the current dynamics of digital technology in the market. For these reasons, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms involved in detail and to develop absorptive capacity enhancement (ACAP), defined as the organizational capacity to identify, assimilate, and leverage knowledge generated by sources external to the company. Despite the relevance of ACAP, relatively little research has focused on its operationalization. The objective of this thesis is to thoroughly examine the mechanisms for operationalizing ACAP in digital SMEs by integrating their learning modes (LM). In this context, the main research question of this thesis is: how do learning patterns of practiced routines shape the dimensions of absorptive capacity (ACAP) in the context of digital SMEs? This thesis is structured around articles. The first article develops a literature review of ACAP, highlighting the main themes explored. Employing a bibliographic linking procedure followed by content analysis, this article identifies the main research themes of ACAP: the role of knowledge absorptive capacity in organizational capabilities, alliance networks, open innovation processes, intra-organizational learning, and exploration and exploitation initiatives. The content analysis of this first article revealed that relatively few studies have focused on ACAP mechanisms, particularly in the context of digital SMEs. The second and third articles address some of the limitations identified in the first article. Developing a qualitative approach with multiple case studies, the second article examines the configuration of ACAP (Accelerating Competitive and Professional Development) through the routines practiced in the context of digital SMEs. Based on organizational routines as building blocks of ACAP sub-capabilities, this exploratory study presents a set of knowledge absorption routines practiced in the context of digital SMEs. Finally, through an in-depth exploratory analysis of multiple cases, the third article draws on the literature on organizational learning and organizational routines to study the learning methods of ACAP sub-capabilities in digital SMEs. Although developed independently, the combined results of the second and third articles synthesize the routines practiced and their modes of learning ACAP. Beyond the literature review of the ACAP concept, the theoretical contribution consists primarily of operationalizing the ACAP sub-capabilities presented as organizational routines. Finally, this thesis contributes to the literature on organizational learning by revealing the preferred learning methods of digital SMEs. Beyond theoretical contributions, this thesis presents various managerial insights so that managers of digital SMEs can leverage this information to support their strategic decision-making processes.