Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
1-2018
Abstract
Acquisitions enable firms to access new knowledge from target firms, along with the scientists who created the knowledge, to enhance their own knowledge creation outcomes. We explore how the retention of target firm scientists and acquired knowledge characteristics affect new knowledge creation outcomes for the acquiring firms. Using a sample of 111,227 patents following 301 high-tech acquisitions in 1990–2000, we find that acquiring firms that avoid the exodus of target firm scientists increase their likelihood of creating highly impactful knowledge. Moreover, the characteristics of acquired knowledge and organizational context of the acquiring firms moderate this relationship. The positive effect of target firm scientist retention on the likelihood of creating highly impactful knowledge during the post-acquisition period is stronger when the acquired knowledge is complex, whereas such a relationship is weaker when the acquired knowledge stock is similar to that of the acquiring firm.
Keywords
breakthrough knowledge, acquisition, knowledge-based view, human capital specificity
Discipline
Human Resources Management | Strategic Management Policy
Research Areas
Strategy and Organisation
Publication
Journal of Management Studies
Volume
55
Issue
1
First Page
86
Last Page
107
ISSN
0022-2380
Identifier
10.1111/joms.12320
Publisher
Wiley: 24 months
Citation
PARK, Haemin; HOWARD, Michael D.; and GOMULYA, David.
The impact of knowledge worker mobility through an acquisition on breakthrough knowledge. (2018). Journal of Management Studies. 55, (1), 86-107.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/5838
Copyright Owner and License
Publisher
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12320