Absorptive capacity and external knowledge search are crucial for companies to come up with groundbreaking innovations. By using a special analysis method called fsQCA, this research looked at how these factors work together to drive radical innovation. The results showed that the way a company searches for external knowledge and how well it can absorb that knowledge both play a big role in creating major innovations. The study found different combinations of these factors that lead to high levels of radical innovation, offering new insights into how companies can achieve groundbreaking advancements.