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Cited by 111Innovation and Knowledge ManagementPublic Policy and Administration ResearchOrganizational Learning and Leadership

Absorptive Capacity in a Non-Market Environment: A knowledge-based approach to analysing the performance of sector organizations

Harvey, Gill, Skelcher, Chris, Spencer, Eileen, Jas, Pauline, Walshe, Kieran·2010·Public Management Review
DOI 10.1080/14719030902817923
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Abstract

Improved performance by public sector organizations is a political imperative in numerous countries. There are particular challenges in turnaround of poorly performing organizations. Theoretical explanations of the performance trajectories of public organizations, and especially the causes of failure, highlight the importance of knowledge processes, often from an organizational learning perspective. Absorptive capacity provides an alternative way of theorizing the relationships between organizational performance and knowledge processes, derived from the resource-based view of the firm and the broader concept of dynamic capabilities. The article reviews the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological implications of applying absorptive capacity to the performance of public organizations. It concludes that the approach has value and presents a number of propositions to be tested through empirical study, alongside some more general challenges for researchers who wish to study the concept further. The high political salience of public organizations' performance, and the costs of failure, mandates a major research effort on these issues.

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Crossref · 10.1080/14719030902817923

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62 of 62 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Public organisations generally control large societal resources both in terms of workforce and tangible assets such as land, buildings, infrastructure, etc.

    “Public organisations generally control large societal resources both in terms of workforce and tangible assets such as land, buildings, infrastructure, etc. (Clausen, Demircioglu, & Alsos, 2020;Harvey, Skelcher, Spencer, Jas, & Walshe, 2010).”

    From AI adoption and diffusion in public administration: A systematic literature review and future research agenda (2023) · cites this paper as Harvey, Skelcher, Spencer, Jas, & Walshe, 2010

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Authors
Harvey, G., Skelcher, C., Spencer, E., Jas, P., & Walshe, K.
Affiliations
  • University of Manchester (GB)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
  • University of Nottingham (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Harvey, Gill
  • Skelcher, Chris
  • Spencer, Eileen
  • Jas, Pauline
  • Walshe, Kieran
ORCID
Venue
Public Management Review
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2010-01
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
77-97
ISSN
  • 1461-667X (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-9037
  • 1471-9045
DOI
10.1080/14719030902817923
OpenAlex
W1918593213
Cited by
111
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
FWCI
9.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Public Management Review (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Innovation and Knowledge Management
  • Social Sciences › Public Administration › Public Policy and Administration Research
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Learning and Leadership
Keywords
absorptive capacity, public sector organizations, organizational performance, knowledge processes, organizational learning, resource-based view, dynamic capabilities, corporate turnaround, performance trajectories

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