How cooperative innovation could be more effective in China: a relationship perspective

Abstract

Purpose Considering strategic information sharing (SIS), this paper aims to develop a better understanding of how relation-specific investments (RSIs) influence cooperative innovation performance (CIP) in downstream channel relationships. This paper also examined that the moderating effect of relational trust in the indigenous practice of guanxi is especially critical in China. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a questionnaire in Chinese high-tech industries, with a valid response from 310 companies. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the conceptual model and hypotheses, combining mediation and moderation analysis. Findings Results show that the influences of specific investments vary according to the specificity dimensions examined. Specifically, human RSI influences CIP and SIS most significantly, and the impact of procedural RSI is, relatively, the weakest. Relational trust’s moderating role is confirmed, and SIS plays a partially mediating role in enhancing vertical cooperative innovation. Practical implications Managers should know clearly different roles of RSIs in inter-firm cooperative innovation and prioritize human RSI and brand RSI when investing into channels. More importantly, the findings reveal that strategy-level information sharing should be valued more. It is also recommended that relational ties are vital, especially in Chinese business context. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first few to investigate how the effects of disaggregated RSIs in inter-firm cooperative innovation vary and the importance of SIS in vertical relationships. The results provide insightful guidance for researchers and managers in how to better manage RSIs to improve CIP.

How knowledge acquisition creates a competitive edge? A qualitative inquiry from international consultancy alliance

“…Other intangible assets like intellectual property, organizational reputation, etc are indeed a result of knowledge management in an organization. Recognizing the importance of knowledge, some authors categorized assets into property based and knowledge based asset instead of clubbing knowledge with other intangible assets (Chi, Zhang, & Deng, 2021;Hoetker & Mellewigt, 2009;Zhao & Wang, 2011).…”

Influence of Enterprise’s Factor Inputs and Co-Opetition Relationships to Its Innovation Output

“…Considering the increasingly fierce competition among enterprises in a knowledge-intensive environment, enterprises will continuously co-exist in an open and inclusive background and become closely connected with other external entities. More and more competing enterprises will carry out collaborative innovation activities and form cooperative alliances [5] by developing co-opetition strategies and forming co-opetition networks [6]. Hence, the competitive-cooperative relationship among enterprises has an important impact on the innovation output.…”