Absorptive Capacities in Higher Education Institutions: The Case of the Enrollment Processes

Gustavo Silva Goncalves, José Storopoli, Fernando Serra, Thiago de Luca Ribeiro

Abstract


The ability of organizations to recognize the value of new external information, assimilate and apply it commercially is the phenomenon known as absorptive capacity. To a large extent, absorptive capabilities explain why some companies thrive in the face of market complexities and others go bankrupt. In this research, we investigate how higher education institutions (HEIs) develop absorptive capacities in their enrollment processes. In order to do so, we conducted a extended multi-case study with 12 Brazilian private HEIs. Our results show that most HEIs experience difficulties in sharing new knowledge among employees, and that several strategies were used to overcome this challenge, among them open and transparent information flows, employee training, and regular meetings.


Keywords


Absorptive capacity; higher education institutions; enrollment; multi-case study; Brazil

Full Text:

PDF

References


Apriliyanti, I. D., & Alon, I. (2017). Bibliometric analysis of absorptive capacity. International Business Review, 26(5), 896-907.

Burawoy M., Burton, A., Ferguson, A. A., Fox, K. J. Gamson, J., Gartrell, N. Hurst, L, Kurzman, C. Salzinger, L, Schiffman, J., & Ui, S. (1991). Ethnography unbound:power and resistance in the modern metropolis. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Calderón, A. I. (2000). Universidades mercantis: a institucionalização do mercado universitário em questão. São Paulo em Perspectiva, 14(1), 61-72.

Ciotti, R., & Favretto, J. (2017). Capacidade absortiva em instituições de ensino superior: uma sistematização da literatura. Revista Contemporânea de Economia e Gestão, 15(3), 203-229.

Coimbra, A. (2004). A diferença está nos detalhes: marketing educacional. Brasília: New Date Agency.

Coghlan, D. (1993). A person-centred approach to dealing with resistance to change. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 14(4), 10-14.

Cohen, W. M., & Levinthal, D. A. (1990). Absorptive capacity: a new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(1), 128-152.

Danneels, E. (2002). The dynamics of product innovation and firm competences. Strategic Management Journal, 23(12), 1095-1121.

Easterby-Smith, M., Graça, M., Antonacopoulou, E., & Ferdinand, J. (2008). Absorptive capacity: a process perspective. Management Learning, 39(5), 483-501.

Elias, S. (2009). Employees’ commitment in times of change: assessing the importance of attitudes towards organizational change. Journal of Management, 35(1), 37-55.

Gebauer, H., Worch, H., & Truffer, B. (2012). Absorptive capacity, learning processes and combinative capabilities as determinants of strategic innovation. European Management Journal, 30(1), 57-73.

Gibbs, G. (2007). Analyzing qualitative data. In Flick (Ed.), Londres: Sage.

Guedes, H., Ziviani, F., Paiva, R., Ferreira, M., & Herzog, M. (2017). Assessment of absorptive capacity: a study in Brazilian manufactures of solar panels. Gestão & Produção, 24(1), 50-63.

Goodman, R., & Yonezawa, A. (2007). Market competition, demographic change, and educational reform: the problems confronting Japan’s private universities in a period of contraction. Jürgen/Jongbloed Ben Enders (Hg.). Public-Private Dynamics in Higher Education. Bielefeld: transcript, 443-470.

Hernandez, J., & Caldas, M. (2001). Resistência a mudança: uma revisão crítica. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 41(2), 31-45.

Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira. (2016). Censo da Educação Superior 2015. Brasília, DF, Brasil, Ministério da Educação.

Jansen, J. Van Den Bosch, F., & Volberda, H. (2005). Managing potential and realized absorptive capacity: How do organizational antecedents matter? Academy of Management Journal, 48(6), 999-1015.

Jick, T. (1979). Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods: triangulation in action. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24(4), 602–611.

Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing de A a Z: 80 conceitos que todo profissional precisa saber. Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.

Kurtz, P., & Duncan, A. (1998). Shared service centres: overcoming resistance to implementation of a shared service centre. Management Accounting, Montvale, 76(7), 7-48.

Lane, P. J., Koka, B. R., & Pathak, S. (2006). The reification of absorptive capacity: a critical review and rejuvenation of the construct. Academy of Management Review, 31(4), 833-863.

Lichtenthaler, U., & Lichtenthaler, E. (2009). A capability-based framework for open innovation: complementing absorptive capacity. Journal of Management Studies, 46(8), 1315-1338.

Martinkenaite, I., & Breunig, K. J. (2016). The emergence of absorptive capacity through micro–macro level interactions. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), 700-708.

Miles M., & Huberman A. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis. California: Sage.

Moré, R. Vargas, S., & Cembranel, P. (2012). Capacidade absortiva no contexto da inovação: um estudo bibliométrico. Revista de Gestão do Unilasalle, 3(1), 113-126.

Peccei, R., Giangreco, A., & Sebastiano, A. (2011). The role of organizational commitment in the analysis of resistance do change: co-predictor and moderator effects. Personnel Review, 40(2), 185-204.

Presse, P. (2014). Análise setorial da educação superior privada. Foz do Iguaçu, PR, Consultoria Hoper.

Ribeiro, T., Gonçalves, G., Costa, B., & Storopoli, J. (2017). Melhoria no processo de captação de alunos em uma instituição de ensino superior localizada no Nordeste. Anais do VI SINGEP - Simpósio Internacional de Gestão de Projetos, Inovação e Sustentabilidade e V ELBE - Encontro Luso Brasileiro de Estratégia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Sampaio, H. (2013). Setor privado de ensino superior no Brasil: crescimento, mercado e Estado entre dois séculos (Relatório de pesquisa financiada pela FAPES na modalidade Projeto de Pesquisa Regular entre 01/04/2010 a 31/03/2012), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Sindicato das Mantenedoras de Ensino Superior - SEMESP. (2016). Mapa do ensino superior no Brasil 2016. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Souza, B., Arantes, J., & Dias, S. (2015). Captação de alunos. Revista de Ciências Gerenciais, 15(22), 87-105.

Strauss A., & Corbin J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. California: Sage.

Volberda, H. W., Foss, N. J., & Lyles, M. A. (2010). Absorbing the concept of absorptive capacity: how to realize its potential in the organization field. Organization Science, 21(4), 931-951.

Todorova, G., & Durisin, B. (2007). Absorptive capacity: Valuing a reconceptualization. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 774-786.

Zahra, S., & George, G. (2002). Absorptive capacity: A review, reconceptualization, and extension. Academy of management review, 27(2), 185-203.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.