The influence of scope, depth, and orientation of external technology sources on the innovative performance of Chinese firms

The influence of scope, depth, and orientation of external technology sources on the innovative performance of Chinese firms: "Publication year: 2011
Source: Technovation, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 11 May 2011
Jin, Chen , Yufen, Chen , Wim, Vanhaverbeke
It is commonly accepted nowadays that external knowledge sources are important for firms' innovative performance. However, it is still not clear, what dimensions of firms' external knowledge search strategy are crucial in determining their innovation success and whether these search strategies are contingent on different innovation modes. In this study, we analyse how the innovative performance is affected by the scope, depth, and orientation of firms' external search strategies. We apply this analysis to firms using STI (science, technology and innovation) and DUI (doing, using and interacting) innovation modes. Based on a survey among firms in China, we find that...
 Highlights: ► Open innovation is also beneficial beyond science and technology based innovation. ► Greater scope and depth of openness improves firm's innovative performance. ► The orientation of openness is crucial in explaining innovative performance. ► Firms using different innovation modes require different types of partners."