Absorptive Capacity Under the Microscope: Micro-Qualitative Insights from R&D Spillover Recipients

Several papers (e.g., Usman et al., 2024; Foster-McGregor et al., 2017) point to the importance of absorptive capacity, but typically measure it using macro indicators. This research would take a qualitative approach, conducting interviews and ethnographic studies of firms in different sectors and regions (e.g., those highlighted in Aldieri & Vinci, 2017; Garcia et al., 2022) to document specific practices, organizational routines, and cultural factors that enable or hinder the uptake of external R&D. By surfacing nuanced, on-the-ground factors—like informal knowledge sharing, internal training, or leadership mindsets—the project could offer actionable insights for managers and policymakers seeking to maximize the impact of R&D spillovers, moving beyond abstract metrics.

References:

1. How Industrial Diversity Shapes the Effects of Foreign Direct Investment Spillovers on Regional Innovation. R. Garcia, V. Araújo, S. Mascarini, Emerson Gomes Santos, A. Costa, Sarah Ferreira (2022). International regional science review.
2. Innovation, Productivity and Environmental Performance of Technology Spillovers Effects: Evidence from European Patents within the Triad. L. Aldieri, C. P. Vinci (2017).
3. Innovation Spillovers, Economic Growth, and the Role of Absorptive Ability. Muhammad Usman, L. Almas, Shoaib Hassan (2024). Proceedings of the International Conference on Economics and Social Sciences.
4. How Industrial Diversity Shapes the Effects of Foreign Direct Investment Spillovers on Regional Innovation. R. Garcia, V. Araújo, S. Mascarini, Emerson Gomes Santos, A. Costa, Sarah Ferreira (2022). International regional science review.
5. The importance of absorptive capacities: productivity effects of international R&D spillovers through intermediate inputs†. Neil Foster-McGregor, Johannes Pöschl, Robert Stehrer (2017).