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

Resumo

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.