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Developing a sustainable competitive advantage: absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer and organizational learning

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Abstract

This study proposes a theoretical model to investigate a sustainable competitive advantage (CA) by developing the absorptive capacity (AC), knowledge transfer (TR), organizational learning (OL) and in Taiwan’s financial and high technology industries. Structural equation modeling is employed to examine the influence between each variable and whether their relationships are varied in these two different industries. The study population comprises the top 100 financial and top 1000 high-technology enterprises in Taiwan published by Common Wealth Magazine in 2012. A total of 345 valid responses were collected. The research results indicate that OL serves as partial and full mediators between AC, TR and CA respectively. In addition, moderating effect exists in different industries on the theoretical model. Finally, discussion and implications are described for concluding research findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Sciences, Tamkang University, No. 151, Yingjuan Rd., Danshuei Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC

    Shu-Hsien Liao, Yu-chun Chung & Min-Ju Yang

  2. Department of Aviation Management, Air Force Academy, No. Sisou 1, Jieshou W. Rd., Gangshan Dist., Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC

    Chih-Chiang Chen

  3. Department of Food and Beverage Management, Jinwen University of Science and Technology, Xindian Dist., New Taipei City, 23154, Taiwan, ROC

    Da-Chian Hu

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  1. Shu-Hsien Liao
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  2. Chih-Chiang Chen
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  3. Da-Chian Hu
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  4. Yu-chun Chung
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Correspondence to Shu-Hsien Liao.

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Liao, SH., Chen, CC., Hu, DC. et al. Developing a sustainable competitive advantage: absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer and organizational learning. J Technol Transf 42, 1431–1450 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-016-9532-1

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