When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge

Research Summary: Organizations often hire employees hoping to acquire new knowledge. While the literature has paid considerable attention to the role of the characteristics of the source of knowledge, the recipient firm, and the knowledge being transferred, it has largely overlooked those of the kn...

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Autores: PHAM, Dong Nghi, Rios, Luís A., Workiewicz, Maciej
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
Repositorio:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:dau_________::f0182c780e83078384f2ef3ce73a9440
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6460
https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.70061
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Behavioral theory
Computational modeling
Knowledge transfer
Learning by hiring
Organizational learning
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spelling When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledgePHAM, Dong NghiRios, Luís A.Workiewicz, MaciejBehavioral theoryComputational modelingKnowledge transferLearning by hiringOrganizational learningResearch Summary: Organizations often hire employees hoping to acquire new knowledge. While the literature has paid considerable attention to the role of the characteristics of the source of knowledge, the recipient firm, and the knowledge being transferred, it has largely overlooked those of the knowledge being replaced. Using a computational model, we examine how the pre-existing knowledge of the hiring firm—specifically its degrees of internal and external fit—influences its ability to learn. Our findings suggest that firms with lower internal fit absorb new knowledge more quickly, even when controlling for initial external fit. We identify several mechanisms driving this dynamic, demonstrating how persistent resistance to new knowledge and sudden shifts can emerge solely through mutual learning dynamics between individuals and organizations, independent of social or cognitive constraints. Managerial Summary: Companies frequently hire employees from competitors to gain new knowledge and improve performance. We show that success in learning by hiring depends not only on who firms hire but also on the characteristics of their existing knowledge. Our findings reveal two counterintuitive dynamics. First, firms whose practices exhibit a high degree of fit face greater difficulty in absorbing new knowledge. Such extant knowledge is stickier, as incumbent employees find it harder to abandon their old approaches and keep pulling the organization back to the status quo. Second, in complex environments, struggling firms that hire aggressively may learn less effectively, as multiple hires provide conflicting advice. Thus, while such firms stand to learn more from hiring, the internal dynamics of learning within the organization frustrate the firm's effort to absorb the knowledge. We subsequently present and analyze the mechanisms responsible for these outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionJohn Wiley & Sons Ltd.Universitat Ramon Llull. Esade202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/article28 p.application/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6460https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.70061reponame:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llullinstname:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)InglésStrategic Management Journal, Vol. 47(5)© L'autor/aAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:dau_________::f0182c780e83078384f2ef3ce73a94402026-06-21T06:40:37Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
title When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
spellingShingle When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
PHAM, Dong Nghi
Behavioral theory
Computational modeling
Knowledge transfer
Learning by hiring
Organizational learning
title_short When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
title_full When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
title_fullStr When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
title_full_unstemmed When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
title_sort When do firms learn by hiring? How complexity moderates the value of new knowledge
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv PHAM, Dong Nghi
Rios, Luís A.
Workiewicz, Maciej
author PHAM, Dong Nghi
author_facet PHAM, Dong Nghi
Rios, Luís A.
Workiewicz, Maciej
author_role author
author2 Rios, Luís A.
Workiewicz, Maciej
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universitat Ramon Llull. Esade
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Behavioral theory
Computational modeling
Knowledge transfer
Learning by hiring
Organizational learning
topic Behavioral theory
Computational modeling
Knowledge transfer
Learning by hiring
Organizational learning
description Research Summary: Organizations often hire employees hoping to acquire new knowledge. While the literature has paid considerable attention to the role of the characteristics of the source of knowledge, the recipient firm, and the knowledge being transferred, it has largely overlooked those of the knowledge being replaced. Using a computational model, we examine how the pre-existing knowledge of the hiring firm—specifically its degrees of internal and external fit—influences its ability to learn. Our findings suggest that firms with lower internal fit absorb new knowledge more quickly, even when controlling for initial external fit. We identify several mechanisms driving this dynamic, demonstrating how persistent resistance to new knowledge and sudden shifts can emerge solely through mutual learning dynamics between individuals and organizations, independent of social or cognitive constraints. Managerial Summary: Companies frequently hire employees from competitors to gain new knowledge and improve performance. We show that success in learning by hiring depends not only on who firms hire but also on the characteristics of their existing knowledge. Our findings reveal two counterintuitive dynamics. First, firms whose practices exhibit a high degree of fit face greater difficulty in absorbing new knowledge. Such extant knowledge is stickier, as incumbent employees find it harder to abandon their old approaches and keep pulling the organization back to the status quo. Second, in complex environments, struggling firms that hire aggressively may learn less effectively, as multiple hires provide conflicting advice. Thus, while such firms stand to learn more from hiring, the internal dynamics of learning within the organization frustrate the firm's effort to absorb the knowledge. We subsequently present and analyze the mechanisms responsible for these outcomes.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6460
https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.70061
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6460
https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.70061
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 47(5)
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv © L'autor/a
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv © L'autor/a
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 28 p.
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
publisher.none.fl_str_mv John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
instname:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
instname_str Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
reponame_str DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
collection DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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