Title: Implementing strategic renewal by collective organisational learning

Authors: Osama Sam Al-Kwifi

Addresses: College of Business, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, P.O. Box 1664, Al Khobar 3195, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Firms seek external knowledge because many important opportunities are available outside the firm. Such knowledge is an essential element for firms' strategic renewal. Most studies on organisational learning focus on the firm-to-firm learning process. However, little effort has been dedicated to explore the organisational learning process between universities and firms. In this study, a framework for collective learning between a university and firm is developed and tested. Final results demonstrate that collective organisational learning between universities and firms is highly effective in the transfer of tacit knowledge between organisations. Such knowledge can be internalised to achieve strategic renewal when informal communication and continuous interaction are deployed, where both are important elements to build firms' internal capacity to absorb new knowledge.

Keywords: organisational learning; strategic renewal; external knowledge; informal communication; knowledge transfer; university-firm collaborations; universities; higher education; collective learning; firm-to-firm learning; tacit knowledge; internalised knowledge; continuous interaction; new knowledge; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; NSERC; IRC; Industrial Research Chairs; international business.

DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2012.048570

Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2012 Vol.6 No.2, pp.125 - 141

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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