The Many Faces of Absorptive Capacity: Spillovers of Copper Interconnect Technology for Semiconductor Chips

53 Pages Posted: 9 Jul 2004

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 16, 2006

Abstract

A case study of copper interconnect technology suggests that absorptive capacity exist in three forms: disciplinary, domain-specific and encoded. Each depends upon distinct mechanisms and organizational tradeoffs. Disciplinary absorptive capacity requires a firm to actively engage with the scientific community, while protecting domain-specific knowledge. Domain-specific absorptive capacity depends upon influencing disciplinary research at universities and consortia, then capturing domain knowledge through collaboration and hiring. As a technology develops, it becomes encoded, and absorption depends increasingly upon supplier relationships. Hence, absorptive capacity is not simply a function of prior R&D and social networks, but heavily shaped by the type and maturity of technology absorbed.

Keywords: Absorptive Capacity, Knowledge Spillovers, Social Networks, Innovation, Semiconductors

Suggested Citation

Lim, Kwanghui, The Many Faces of Absorptive Capacity: Spillovers of Copper Interconnect Technology for Semiconductor Chips (November 16, 2006). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=562862 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.562862

Kwanghui Lim (Contact Author)

Melbourne Business School ( email )

200 Leicester Street
Carlton, Victoria 3053 3186
Australia
+61-3-93498294 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.mbs.edu

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