Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management, Second Edition

Abstract

The literature on organizational learning (OL), knowledge management (KM), dynamic capabilities (DC), and absorptive capacity (AC) is characterized by the use of very diverse terminology, where concepts often overlap, but it is unclear how all the pieces fit together.

Recognizing that no single overarching framework has been proposed to clear up this conceptual confusion, this chapter proposes a framework that integrates OL, KM, DC, and AC, and establishes a theoretical link between these constructs and performance. Our integrative model acknowledges the distinct roots of each field, identifies conceptual boundaries, and establishes relationships between the constructs and firm performance. We propose this framework as an instrument to facilitate communication between researchers in order to avoid the risk of continuously ‘reinventing the wheel’ in the learning field.