Introduction:

At present, innovation in organizations is demanded in an unprecedented way. Although intellectual capital (CI) has been identified as one of its triggers, one step forward is to understand the role that other variables have in this relationship. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to determine the mediating function of absorptive capacity (CA) in the relationship between CI and organizational innovation in higher education institutes in southern Tamaulipas.

Method:

From the 31 existing higher education institutes in southern Tamaulipas, those with less than 50 employees were selected, reducing to 27 schools. In this institutions, 92 teacher questionnaires were applicated in the first semester of 2020 to later apply a structural equations model with the PLS technique.

Results:

The evidence confirms the mediating role of CA in the relationship between CI and organizational innovation. Likewise, the results allow to observe a positive and significant effect of the CI and CA variables on organizational innovation.

Discussion or Conclusion:

The result broadens the knowledge of the mediating function that CA has in the relationship between CI and organizational innovation, in the same way it suggests that to the extent that this effect of CA can be controlled, innovation could be favored.