企业创新网络中关系强度、吸收能力与创新绩效的关系研究

Firm's Strength of Ties within Innovation Network, Absorptive Capacity and Innovation Performance in the Chinese Manufacturing Industries

有关研究表明,在创新网络中,企业创新绩效受到外部网络关系和自身吸收能力两方面的影响,但网络关系的强弱对企业创新绩效的影响在学术界尚未达成共识。在中国关系社会的背景之下,本文构建了网络关系强度、企业吸收能力和创新绩效三者之间的关系理论模型,并以中国278家制造业企业为样本进行了实证研究。研究结果表明,创新网络关系强度和企业吸收能力均对企业创新绩效存在显著的正向影响,且企业吸收能力在网络关系强度和企业创新绩效之间起不完全中介作用。同时,本文检验了企业性质、产业类型和地域分布的影响,发现在私营企业、传统制造业企业和位于华东、华北地区的企业中,创新网络关系强度对创新绩效没有直接影响,但可以通过吸收能力对创新绩效产生间接影响。

In innovation network, a firm＇s innovation performance is affected by external tie strength and internal knowledge absorptive capacity. Researches have shown that both strong ties and weak ties have their unique features to influence a firm＇s innovation activi- ties, but there is still no consensus on how the firm＇s strength of ties impacts its innovation performance. In China＇s guanxi context, this study is designed to empirically examine the path relationship between tie strength, absorptive capacity （ACAP） and firm innovation performance. Based on a survey data from 278 Chinese manufacturing firms, the results suggest that tie strength is positively related to innovation performance： a strong tie, not weak tie, with its inno- vation partners can help improve its absorptive capacity and innovation performance. We also find that ACAP has a positive impact on innovation performance and it positively mediates the relationship between tie strength and innovation performance. In addition, we have also analyzed the impact of ownership, industry and geograph- ic location to firm＇s innovation, and the results show that it varies as follows： a）. ownership： for the state-owned or foreign compa- nies, the results are the same as above, but for the private firms, tie strength only has limited direct effect on innovation performance, but can indirectly influence innovation through ACAP; b）. industry： in high-tech industries such as information and communication manufacturing, tie strength and absorptive capacity do have positive impact on innovation performance, but in the traditional manufac- turing industries such as clothing, home appliance and motor industries, tie strength doesn＇t have direct effect to a firm＇s innovation performance, but can have indirect impact through absorptive ca- pacity; c）. geographic location： in Northern or Eastern China where political or business resources are more intensive and accessible, tie strength does not have strong direct impact on a firm＇s innovation but have indirect effect through absorptive capacity, while in Central or Southern China, tie strength does have strong impact on firm＇s innovation but absorptive capacity does not have mediating effect between tie strength and innovation performance.