A Systematic Literature Review of Absorptive Capacity : Conceptual and Empirical Developments Through a Multilevel Lens

Scientific work on organizational learning is flourishing yet several researchers have pointed to the importance of clarifying the core features of absorptive capacity as well as its relationships and the underlying mechanisms that link it to other variables of interest. In the present study, we utilize a systematic literature review methodology, analyzing 365 articles published in the premier management journals between 2010 and 2019 and develop a comprehensive framework that assimilates the qualities, antecedents, moderators, and outcomes of absorptive capacity across multiple levels of analysis. By doing so, we offer a compelling systematic integration of extant research that illustrates the current state of the literature on absorptive capacity and provides suggestions for future research. Thus, this study adds clarity to the absorptive capacity theory and provides insights for the development of the organizational learning literature