STRATEJİK YÖNETİMDE ÖZÜMSEME KAPASİTESİNİN İNOVASYONDAKİ ROLÜ: BİBLİYOMETRİK BİR HARİTALAMA

Öz

Özümseme/Soğurma kapasitesi (AC), bir şirketin ticari amaçlarla değerli dış bilgileri belirleme, özümseme ve kullanma yeteneğini ifade eder ve kurumsal inovasyonun ve sürdürülebilir rekabet avantajının temel taşıdır. Hızlı teknolojik dönüşüm ve bilgi yoğun rekabetin yaşandığı bir çağda, inovasyon uzun vadeli organizasyonel başarı için hala çok önemlidir. AC ile ilgili literatürün hızla artmasına rağmen, temel boyutları ve stratejik yönetim uygulamalarıyla etkileşimi konusunda belirsizlikler devam etmektedir. Bu çalışma, bibliyometrik analiz yöntemini kullanarak, stratejik yönetim içindeki inovasyon odağında AC araştırmalarının gelişimini 2024 yılına kadar olan dönemde küresel eğilimlerin sistematik bir incelemesi yoluyla ele almaktadır. Veriler, Web of Science Core Collection, SSCI, SCI-Expanded ve Google Scholar indeksli dergilerden elde edilmiştir. Hariç tutma kriterlerinden sonra, 251 adet hakemli makale (1990-2024) nihai örneklem olarak seçilmiştir. VOSviewer yazılımı aracılığıyla tanımlayıcı istatistikler, atıf ağları, ortak atıflar ve ortak kelime eşlemesi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Önemli bulgular, 2015 sonrası AC yayınlarında bir artış olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu artışın zirve noktaları 2020 (n=30) ve 2023 (n=24) yıllarıdır ve yayınların çoğu Çin (n=56) ve ABD'den (n=27) gelmektedir. Önde gelen dergiler arasında International Journal of Innovation Management (n=22) ve Journal of Knowledge Management (n=12) bulunmaktadır. İşletme ekonomisi, mühendislik ve bilgisayar bilimleri alanlarından etkili yazarlar ağırlıkta olup, bu da AC'nin inovasyon performansını artırmadaki rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Özellikle, Türk literatür eksikliği göze çarpmaktadır (n=1), bu da kritik bir araştırma boşluğuna işaret etmektedir. Genel olarak, analiz AC'yi bilgi edinimi, asimilasyonu, dönüşümü ve kullanımını kolaylaştırarak örgütsel inovasyonu destekleyen dinamik bir yetenek olarak teyit etmektedir. Bu araştırma, tematik kümeleri (ör. açık inovasyon, bilgi yönetimi) görselleştirerek teorik anlayışı ilerletmekte ve politika yapıcılar ve yöneticiler için AC'yi güçlendirmek amacıyla sektörler arası işbirliğini ve çalışanların beceri geliştirmesini teşvik etmek gibi pratik çıkarımlar sunmaktadır. Gelecekteki çalışmalar, Türkiye için ampirik çalışmaları önceliklendirmelidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Özümseme kapasite (AC)
• Bibliyometrik analiz
• Stratejik yönetim
• İnovasyon
• Bilgi Yönetimi

ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: A BIBLIOMETRIC MAPPING OF ITS ROLE IN FOSTERING INNOVATION

Öz

Absorption capacity (AC) refers to a company's ability to identify, absorb, and utilise valuable external information for commercial purposes. It is the cornerstone of corporate innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. In an era of rapid technological transformation and knowledge-intensive competition, innovation remains crucial for long-term organisational success. Despite the rapid growth of literature on AC, uncertainties remain regarding its fundamental dimensions and interaction with strategic management practices. This study employs bibliometric analysis to investigate the evolution of AC research within the context of innovation in strategic management, through a systematic review of global trends up to 2024. Data were obtained from journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, SSCI, SCI-Expanded, and Google Scholar. After applying exclusion criteria focusing on English-language articles on strategic management, 251 peer-reviewed articles (1990-2024) were selected as the final sample. Descriptive statistics, citation networks, co-citations, and co-word mapping were analysed using VOSviewer software. Key findings reveal an increase in AC publications after 2015. The peak years for this increase were 2020 (n=30) and 2023 (n=24), with most publications originating from China (n=56) and the US (n=27). Leading journals include the International Journal of Innovation Management (n=22) and the Journal of Knowledge Management (n=12). Influential authors are predominantly from the fields of business economics, engineering, and computer science, highlighting AC's role in enhancing innovation performance. Notably, Turkish contributions remain few (n=1), pointing to a critical research gap. Overall, the analysis confirms AC as a dynamic capability that supports organisational innovation by facilitating knowledge acquisition, assimilation, transformation, and utilisation. This research advances theoretical understanding by visualising thematic clusters (e.g., open innovation, knowledge management) and offers practical implications for policymakers and managers, such as promoting cross-sector collaboration and employee skill development to strengthen AC. Future studies should prioritise empirical research for Türkiye.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Absorptive capacity (AC)
• Bibliometric analysis
• Strategic management
• Innovation
• Knowledge Management

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