Structural social capital and knowledge acquisition: implications of cluster membership

Abstract

This paper analyzes the implications of belonging to a cluster through the relationship between structural capital and knowledge acquisition. Findings suggest structural social capital affects only indirectly to the knowledge acquisition through the relational and cognitive dimensions for firms member of the cluster . However, structural dimension also maintain a direct impact on knowledge for the external firms. Th is paper contributes to the cluster literature a better contextualization an d understanding of the relation between the structural social capital and knowledge acquisition. In addition, paper also contributes to consolidate the inter - organizational approach to social capital theory in order to understand how and in which context t he social capital dimensions are interrelated . Paper analyze s how firms can acquire valuable knowledge from their networks, overcoming the gap of the literature on how this process occurs inside and outside the clusters. Study propose s some recommendations for companies and institutions, and new complementary lines of research.