Abstract:
This study examines the relationship between organizational absorptive
capacity and organizational responsiveness to changes in their environment exhibited
by growth-oriented SMEs in Russia. Adopting the theoretical framework and
methodology used by Liao, Welsch and Stoica in their 2003 study of the absorptive
capacity and organizational responsiveness of U.S. growth-oriented SMEs, this study
compares and contrasts their results for U.S. SMEs with the results for the sample of
Russian SMEs.
A Russian translation of the data collection questionnaire was administered to
senior managers of 825 SMEs from across Russia. A sample of 91 Russian growthoriented
SMEs for the study was identified from the respondents..
Analysis was carried out using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis
approach. First, a full regression model was run with organizational responsiveness as
the dependent variable, and the two constructs of absorptive capacity (external
knowledge acquisition and internal knowledge dissemination), environmental
turbulence, strategic orientation, firm size and age were the independent variables.
Next, interaction terms for pairs of the independent variables were substituted into the
second block of the multiple regression model one at a time, in order to test the
interaction effects of the variables over and above the variables alone. In all, seven
multiple regression models were examined.
This study confirmed the primary hypotheses of Liao et al. for the sample of
Russian SMEs: organizational responsiveness of growth-oriented SMEs is positively
related to the external knowledge acquisition and internal knowledge dissemination
capabilities of the firm. The current study could not confirm other of Liao et al.’s
hypotheses regarding the moderating effects of strategic orientation and environmental
turbulence. This research demonstrated a positive relationship between organizational
age and responsiveness for the Russian SMEs that was not present for the American
SMEs. There was also a demonstrable moderating effect of firm strategic orientation
on organizational responsiveness based on age.
These findings have implications for theory, since the results demonstrated by
Liao et al. could not be completely replicated. This analysis led to implications for
further research and implications for practice for both entrepreneurs and
entrepreneurship educators in emerging economies.
