Disseminative and Absorptive Capacities in Knowledge Transfer Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Knowledge transfer systems rely on both the capacity to disseminate knowledge from the source and the capacity to absorb knowledge at the recipient. Building on Parent et al. (2007)’s Dynamic Knowledge Transfer Capacity (DKTC) model and integrating recent developments, this review deepens the conceptual and empirical understanding of disseminative capacity (the knowledge sender’s ability) and absorptive capacity (the knowledge receiver’s ability) in organizational and inter-organizational knowledge transfer. We synthesize literature from 2007–2025 to highlight how disseminative and absorptive capacities jointly enable effective knowledge sharing, innovation, and learning. The Introduction outlines the growing importance of knowledge transfer and the emergence of capacity-based perspectives. Theoretical Foundations revisit the DKTC framework – which encompasses generative, disseminative, absorptive, and adaptive capacities – and trace the evolution of disseminative and absorptive capacity concepts. Methodology for Literature Integration explains our systematic approach to identifying and analyzing relevant studies. The Thematic Synthesis detail’s key themes: conceptual definitions and dimensions of each capacity, factors influencing their development (e.g. motivation, networks, structure, prior knowledge), their interplay in knowledge transfer outcomes, and context-specific findings. We present Comparative Analysis Tables that distill 120+ works on disseminative and absorptive capacities, including definitions, measurement approaches, and empirical insights across diverse settings. In the Discussion, we highlight conceptual advancements (such as new sub-dimensions and the recognition of a sender–receiver capacity nexus), empirical gaps (e.g. limited research on disseminative capacity relative to absorptive capacity), and practical implications for enhancing knowledge transfer capability. Conclusion emphasizes the need for balanced development of both disseminative and absorptive capacities to ensure sustainable knowledge transfer and suggests avenues for future research to refine the DKTC model.