Abstract: Based on the perspective of resource-based view, resource dependence theory and knowledge-intensive view, this paper analyses the mechanism and path by which manufacturing enterprises interact with the knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) to influence the operational performance of manufacturing enterprises. Through the multiple linear regression analysis and the structural equation model analysis, we get three conclusions: firstly, the resource recombination and resource reallocation have the mediating effect between the manufacturing enterprises-KIBS interaction and operational performance; secondly, resource recombination has a bigger mediating effect than resource reallocation when manufacturing enterprises-KIBS interaction belongs to the complementary interaction mode; and thirdly, resource reallocation has a bigger mediating effect than resource recombination when manufacturing enterprises-KIBS interaction belongs to the supplementary interaction mode. The theoretical contribution of this paper is to explore the mechanism on how resource can influence competitive advantage, and to confirm the internal relationship among manufacturing enterprises-KIBS interaction, resource recombination, resource reallocation and operational performance. And the practical implication is that how manufacturing enterprises can promote their resource recombination and resource reallocation through interaction with KIBS, thus improving their operational performance.

Key words: interaction, resource reconfiguration, resource recombination, resource reallocation, operational performance