知识搜寻对企业技术创新流程的影响 --关系联结强度的调节效应

The Influence of Knowledge Search on the Enterprise Technology Innovation Process:The Moderating Effect of Linking Intensity

基于知识演化与技术创新流程的映射关系,将企业技术创新解析为知识溯源、知识转换和知识利用的递归过程。通过对多家创新型企业进行问卷调研,利用层次回归分析法,探究知识搜寻宽度、知识搜寻深度对不同阶段技术创新的影响程度,以及联结强度的调节作用。实证结果表明:知识搜寻宽度对技术创新三阶段均产生显著正向影响,知识搜寻深度与知识溯源、知识转换阶段的创新效果呈倒U型关系。同时,关系联结强度负向调节知识搜寻宽度与技术创新三阶段的关系,正向调节知识搜寻深度与知识溯源、知识转换阶段创新效果的关系。研究结论有助于为企业建立“联结关系-搜寻策略-创新流程”的匹配组合、高效开展以精准技术创新为导向的知识搜寻活动提供理论参考与依据。

It has become an important measure for enterprises to keep improving the ability of technological innovation by actively carrying out external knowledge search activities,and maximizing the use of external resources to make up for the lack of internal innovation resources.Current research mostly focuses on the static,results-oriented exploration from a vertical perspective,with little attention paid to the continuous and dynamic characteristics of the continuous evolution of innovation activities,and there is a lack of a horizontal analysis of the innovation process.Furthermore,the establishment of network relationships is a complex interactive process whose strength directly affects the way and efficiency of knowledge transfer between organizations,and it is a key factor to explore the relationship between knowledge search and technological innovation so as to avoid innovation risks.Therefore,an analysis of the influence mechanism of knowledge search on the technological innovation process under different coupling intensities is helpful to guide enterprises in carrying out technological innovation activities against the backdrop of open innovation.Therefore,this paper makes a systematic review of the connotation characteristics,dimension division and interaction relationship of knowledge search,innovation process and network connection.On this basis,a conceptual model of the technological innovation process of"knowledge traceability—knowledge transformation—knowledge utilization"is constructed from the perspective of knowledge evolution.Then,it explores the differential effect of multidimensional knowledge search on each stage of technological innovation process and the moderating effect of network connection strength on the above relationship.A series of research hypotheses are proposed.The study conducts a questionnaire survey of 583 high-tech enterprises in central China,and the collected questionnaire data is statistically analyzed by the multiple regression analysis method.According to the empirical results,it is concluded that(1)the width-search strategy has a significant positive effect on the innovation effect in the three stages of technological innovation:knowledge tracing,knowledge transformation and knowledge utilization.In addition,when the knowledge search width changes to a certain extent,the innovation effect in the knowledge tracing stage is affected by it to the greatest degree,and the innovation effect in the knowledge transformation stage is affected by it to the least degree.(2)There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the deep search strategy and the innovation effect in the knowledge tracing and knowledge conversion stages of technological innovation.Knowledge search depth is helpful to deepen cognition and understanding of the limited knowledge bundle,but once the search depth reaches a specific threshold,it will have a negative impact on the technological innovation of the enterprise.(3)The connection strength negatively moderates the influence of knowledge search width on the innovation effect of knowledge traceability,knowledge transformation and knowledge utilization stages and positively moderates the relationship between knowledge search depth and the innovation effect of knowledge traceability and knowledge transformation stages.The combination of weak connection-width search and strong connection-depth search can promote the development of enterprise innovation activities.In practice,enterprises should focus on the matching effect between knowledge search strategy,technological innovation process and network connection strength,and follow the contingency principle to carry out dynamic management;it is also essential to maintain the search depth at a reasonable level,adhere to the independent mastery of core technologies,and not over-rely on external knowledge sources to avoid going too far.In addition,There is a certain tension between different dimensions of knowledge search.Enterprises should focus on the differential efficiency and synergistic effect of each dimension of knowledge search,maintain the dynamic balance of supply and demand,and avoid the stereotypical mechanized thinking that affects the output of innovation achievements.By focusing on the differentiated effectiveness of different dimensions of knowledge search in each stage of technological innovation and considering the compatibility of the strength of relationship connection with the width and depth of search by context,this study provides implications for enterprises to establish the matching combination of"connection relation-search strategy-innovation process"in innovation practice.