Impact of absorptive capacity on project success through mediating role of strategic agility: Project complexity as a moderator

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of potential and realized absorptive capacity on project success through both the mediating roles of strategic agility and the moderating role of project complexity. A simple random sampling was used to collect data from 285 respondents working in the IT sector of small-medium sized Portuguese enterprises (SMEs). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, data were collected from and distributed on, several online channels (Gmail, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook). Smart PLS-SEM, version 3.2.8 was used for the analysis. The results indicate that the two absorptive capacity sub-dimensions, potential and realized absorptive capacity, not only directly affect a project's success but also indirectly through the mediator of strategic agility. Although the moderating role of project complexity has a positive and significant effect on the relation between potential absorptive capacity and strategic agility, it is insignificant concerning the relation between realized absorptive capacity and strategic agility. Finally, theoretical and practical contributions are made, research limitations are stated and future research is suggested.