Abstract:    This paper explored and verified the impact of reflective knowledge reconstruction and the improvisation ability of an enterprise on its innovation performance. In this paper, reflective knowledge reconstruction is defined as the reprocessing and reorganization of the original organizational knowledge structure and cognitive mode. Different from the experiential learning that emphasizes previous experience and knowledge accumulation, the reflective knowledge reconstruction prompts the members of an organization to re-examine the existing knowledge system and dominant logic, which helps break through the past organizational practices, foster new innovation momentum in the organization, and support the enterprise′s continuous innovation. However, most of the existing research on the reflexive knowledge reconstruction is limited to the team level, such as team reflection, only a few pieces of research on the enterprise level. In addition, the influence mechanism of reflective knowledge reconstruction on innovation performance remains to be revealed.
    In order to reveal the effects of the reflexive knowledge reconstruction on innovation outcomes, it is necessary to explore the internal mechanism and construct an analysis framework based on the interaction process between variables. Improvisation theory holds that the organizational improvisation ability can enhance the enterprise′s environmental adaptability and guarantee the sustainable development of innovation activities. As such, this paper tries to explore the boundary conditions of the influence of reflective knowledge reconstruction on the enterprise′s innovation performance.
   To open the "black box" that reflective knowledge reconstruction affects innovation performance, we conduct an empirical study. The samples used in this study were collected from companies in the Yangtze River Delta including electronics, machinery manufacturing, information and communications, and biopharmaceutical industries. During the survey, a total of 318 enterprises were contacted, 230 questionnaires were recovered, 34 invalid questionnaires with incomplete answers were eliminated, and 196 questionnaires were actually valid. In the overall sample, most of the respondents are male (63.78%); in terms of education, 47.96% have bachelor degree or above. The surveyed enterprises are mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, 78.57% of which have fewer than 100 employees, and 61.73% of which have been established for more than 5 years.
   This paper evaluated the validity and reliability of the research scale. The results showed that the Cronbach′s of all the research variables were greater than 0.7, indicating that the scale has high validity and reliability. Also, values of factor loading and other indicators of all items showed that the scale also had high validity.
    The results of hierarchical regression analysis based on 196 technological enterprises show that reflective knowledge reconstruction is an important factor to improve the enterprise′s innovation performance. Moreover, reflective knowledge reconstruction can indirectly promote innovation performance by cultivating organizational improvisation ability. When the environment is volatile, the mediating effect of the organizational improvisation ability is stronger. In addition, the disturbance of the technological environment may enhance the influence of reflective knowledge reconstruction on the "creative" dimension of improvisational ability; while the disturbance of market environment may enhance the influence of reflective knowledge reconstruction on the "immediate" dimension of improvisational ability.
    This paper has important theoretical contributions. First, this study proposes that reflective knowledge reconstruction can promote the improvisation ability and innovation performance of enterprises. Previous studies emphasized the importance of the ability to organize improvisation, but lack of detailed discussion on how to cultivate and enhance the ability. By introducing the concept of reflexive knowledge reconstruction, this paper proves that reflexive knowledge reconstruction is an important factor for the enterprise′s improvisation ability, thus enriching the theoretical research on improvisation ability.
    Second, this paper reveals the influence mechanism of reflective knowledge reconstruction on innovation performance. More specifically, this study finds that improvisation ability plays an intermediary role between reflective knowledge reconstruction and innovation performance, thus establishing a complete logical chain. This not only shows that reflective knowledge reconstruction is an important basis to promote enterprise innovation, but also provides an explanation for the internal process in which reflective knowledge reconstruction affects enterprise innovation.
    Finally, this paper reveals that environmental disturbance is a boundary condition that affects the outcomes of reflective knowledge reconstruction. In other words, reflective knowledge reconstruction is not positive and effective in all cases equally, and its utility increases with the increase of the degree of environmental turbulence. In this paper, the environmental disturbance is incorporated into the analysis framework to discuss its moderating effects between reflective knowledge reconstruction and innovation performance. We find that when the degree of environmental disturbance is high, the indirect effect of reflective knowledge reconstruction on innovation performance through improvisation is more significant. This mediated model constructed in this paper not only considers the boundary conditions of mediation role of improvisation ability between reflective knowledge reconstruction and enterprise innovation, but also helps to clarify the situation of the effectiveness of reflective knowledge reconstruction.
    This study provides some management inspirations for managers to improve the innovation performance of enterprises. First, managers should attach importance to and promote the subordinates′ reflective knowledge reconstruction. Managers need to make employees aware that outdated knowledge and perceptions (including values, beliefs, etc.) may hinder and mislead the innovation of enterprises. That means taking targeted measures to train and strengthen the employees′ critical thinking and cultivating an open and inclusive organizational atmosphere. Second, managers should improve the improvisation ability of enterprises. Therefore, managers need to consciously stimulate the communication and interaction between employees, as well as departments; eliminate the barriers of sharing and learning new knowledge within the organization. Third, as the process of influencing innovation performance by reflective knowledge reconstruction is regulated by environmental disturbance, managers need to develop the ability to predict, identify and respond to both future technological changes and market demand changes.
The present work has some limitations which need to be addressed in future studies. For example, this paper studies reflective knowledge reconstruction as a single dimensional construct. In future research, a more detailed deconstruction of the construct may be considered.

Key words: knowledge reconstruction, improvisation ability, innovation performance, environmental disturbance