How to motivate discontinuous innovation: A case study from the perspective of organizational learning

Feng Junzheng; Liu Yang; Wei Jiang

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Science Research Management ›› 2013 ›› Issue (4) : 24-33.

How to motivate discontinuous innovation: A case study from the perspective of organizational learning

Feng Junzheng, Liu Yang, Wei Jiang

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Abstract

Whether discontinuous innovation is an engine for firms’ long-term success during institutional transition or just a trap? The decision and implementation process of discontinuous innovation in Nandu Battery Company is analyzed. The results show that when facing a discontinuous innovation, a firm might take advantage of ambidextrous balance strategy in extant technology fields, making a balance between raw material innovation and product architectural innovation, maintaining the existing market and exploring new niche markets. While in emerging technology fields, the firm might take gradually complete substitution strategy instead, which extensive knowledge search, unplanned organizational learning, and innovative culture cultivation are critical factors for accelerating the success of discontinuous innovation. Moreover, discontinuous innovation promotes the transformation and substitution of old technological capability, offers sharp technology performance improvements, and constructs new value networks.

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discontinuous innovation / organizational learning / technology transition / case study

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Feng Junzheng, Liu Yang, Wei Jiang. How to motivate discontinuous innovation: A case study from the perspective of organizational learning[J]. Science Research Management. 2013(4): 24-33

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