Abstract: Technology acquisition (TA) from cooperative partners significantly facilitate the ennancement of firm performance, however, such effect only functions under the condition of absorbing and utilizing process. Currently, market mechanism of transition economy increases the importance of managerial ties on firm commercial operation activities, however, there is few researches focus on the functional mechanism of managerial ties on such route based on the integrate perspective, to solve that, the direct and indirect route of the relationship between TA from cooperative parthers and firm performance are empirically tested, moreover, the moderating effect of managerial ties on such route is also examined. The result indicates that internal R&D partially mediates the relationship between TA from cooperative parthers and firm performance, meanwhile business ties positively moderate the relationship between TA from cooperative parthers and internal R&D, however, political ties function in a reverse way.

Key words: technology acquisition from cooperative partner, internal R&D capability, firm performance, political tie, business tie