Cognitive social capital and new product performance: indirect effect of potential absorptive and innovation capacity: a tourism-based study

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to respond to the existing gap in the literature and analyze empirically the mediating role of potential absorptive capacity and innovation capacity in the relationship between socio-cognitive capital and new product performance in tourism businesses. Design/methodology/approach - Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to measure the effect of independent variables and mediators on the results of new products through information collected from 300 companies through a structured questionnaire applied to tourism companies. Findings - Important findings are presented demonstrating the positive and significant influence of cognitive social capital on the results of new products; however, this is not enough, so the potential absorption capacity and the capacity for innovation play a very important role in improving the effect on the results of new products. The findings suggest that organizations should direct their culture and shared goals toward assimilation and knowledge and the development of innovation capabilities in order to obtain more successful new product results. Originality/value - The study adds value to the study of social capital by analyzing social cognitive capital and its impact on new product performance. In contrast to previous studies, it suggests incorporating potential absorptive capacity and innovation capacity as mediating variables in a comprehensive model that illustrates the positive spillover effect, thereby enhancing the outcomes related to new product performance.