Absorptive Capacity: The influence of team composition variables and its relation to team innovation

In recent years, firms in several markets are confronted with a rapidly changing business environment. Due to the economic crisis and the unstable situation of the world economy, it is important for a lot of firms to foster innovation. To increase innovation in firms, firms depend more and more on the use of teams and innovation within these teams. This results in the concept of what scholars name Team Innovation. Another concept that has become more popular within firms, in order to increase their level of innovation is what scholars name Absorptive Capacity: the acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation of new external knowledge. As research on the relations between teams and Absorptive Capacity is limited, this research adds to the existing scholarly literature with an empirical research on the influence of Team Composition on Absorptive Capacity and consequently, the influence of Absorptive Capacity on Team Innovation.