Science Research Management

Science Research Management ›› 2021, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (6): 94-101.

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How knowledge network embedding context activates firms′ ambidextrous innovation?——A research based on the QCA method

Ou Zhonghui1, Cai Youhua2, Hu Huifang2   

  1. 1. School of International Business and Economics, Fujian Business University, Fuzhou 350012, Fujian, China; 
    2. School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China
  • Received:2020-06-22 Revised:2020-12-12 Online:2021-06-20 Published:2021-06-22

Abstract:      Firm′s high innovation performance not only depends on the investment of innovation resources, but also needs the support of corresponding innovation environment. Due to the differences in purpose and characteristics between incremental innovation and breakthrough innovation, these two types of innovation have different requirements on the input of heterogeneous knowledge resources and the innovation environment. Therefore, to promote the high-quality development of innovation, it is necessary to refine the research on the impact of innovation environment on different types of innovation. Different factors in the innovation environment do not necessarily have a causal relationship with ambidextrous innovation, but the complex linkage between multiple factors may lead to high breakthrough innovation or high incremental innovation respectively. 
    Based on the idea of set theory, this study developed a model of ambidextrous innovation influence mechanism which includes knowledge network embedding, knowledge resource management and organizational routine. Knowledge network embedding include network relationship, network location, and network size. Knowledge resource management include knowledge search, knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. Organizational routine includes explorative routine and exploitative routine. Through collecting data of knowledge network embedding, knowledge resource management and organizational routine, this study conducted a qualitative comparative analysis of fuzzy sets which has the advantage on the research of asymmetric relations among 171 sample enterprises from innovation cluster, and finally obtained five antecedent conditional configurations of high breakthrough innovation and high incremental innovation respectively.  
    The results revealed that there are two types of configuration to achieve high breakthrough innovation in the context of knowledge network embedding. Type 1 emphasizes the combination of knowledge search and knowledge creation strategies. Type 2 emphasizes that under the embedding condition of knowledge network, the following configurations can all promote high breakthrough innovation: the combination of explorative routine and knowledge creation, the combination of exploitative routine and knowledge search, the synergistic effect of network governance mechanism, knowledge search and knowledge creation under the absence of knowledge sharing condition. There are two types of configuration to achieve high incremental innovation in the context of knowledge network embedding too. Type 1 emphasizes the combination of knowledge search and knowledge sharing strategies. Type 2 emphasizes that under the embedding condition of knowledge network, the following configurations can all promote high incremental innovation: the combination of exploitative routine and knowledge sharing, the combination of explorative routine and knowledge search, the synergistic effect of network governance mechanism, knowledge search and knowledge sharing under the absence of knowledge creation condition.
    The results of research provide a new perspective for the interpretation of firm′s ambidextrous innovation, it also provides multiple guiding paths for scientific and technological management departments to guide firm′s ambidextrous innovation.

Key words: knowledge network embedding, organizational routine, knowledge resource management, ambidextrous innovation