A process model of the maturation of a new dynamic capability

The literature on dynamic capabilities highlights their importance for gaining competitive advantage. However, existing research fails to explain how a new capability matures into a source of such an advantage. This study addresses this question using a process approach. It examines how this maturation process occurs and develops within a firm to a point where a new dynamic capability becomes institutionalized in an organization. Taking the case of a dynamic synchronization capability, one that enables a firm to coordinate dual innovation strategies, and that matures through the integration of operational sourcing capabilities, our study highlights the role of socio (group interactions) and cognitive (perceptions and interpretations) elements via an interactive learning in this process. The case shows that this process is multi-stage, unfolding across different organizational levels and encounters a series of conflicts that act as triggers for capability maturation. This paper contributes to the literature by focusing on the maturation of a capability rather than the emergence of a new capability, which has dominated prior research.