How dispersed knowledge shapes absorptive capacity: evidence from firms in technology parks

Purpose This study aims to examine how different forms of dispersed knowledge shape the development and enactment of absorptive capacity (ACAP) in firms operating within technology parks. Design/methodology/approach This research is exploratory and qualitative, based on multiple case studies of five technology companies in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, documentary sources and direct observation and analyzed using the Gioia methodology supported by MAXQDA to ensure analytical clarity and traceability. Findings The main findings show that dispersed knowledge, conceptualized through institutional, cognitive, geographical and regulatory dimensions, functions as a structuring condition that differentially activates potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). Companies exposed to geographic and institutional dispersion emphasize acquisition and assimilation processes, whereas cognitive and regulatory dispersion intensifies transformation and exploitation. The findings reveal distinct configurational patterns of ACAP, showing how companies develop context-specific routines to convert dispersed knowledge into innovative outcomes. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to five companies located in technology parks in São Paulo, Brazil, using qualitative multiple-case analysis and primarily one key informant per firm. Therefore, the findings cannot be statistically generalized to all innovation habitats or technology-based firms. Practical implications This research offers managers a framework for structuring routines that minimize the dispersion of externally acquired knowledge, emphasizing learning and internal integration. Social implications Findings help policymakers design effective public strategies to promote regional development and maintain innovation ecosystems. Originality/value This study advances ACAP theory by reconceptualizing dispersed knowledge as a structuring mechanism rather than merely a contextual condition. It presents a configuration-based, process-oriented perspective, demonstrating how distinct types of dispersion shape the activation and integration of absorptive processes, thereby providing a more detailed explanation of heterogeneity in innovation outcomes across firms.