Avimanyu Datta

Changing the Competitive Landscape: Continuous Innovation Through IT-Enabled Knowledge Capabilities

We theoretically and empirically investigate the relationship between information technology (IT) and firm innovation. Invoking absorptive capacity (ACAP) theory, we introduce and develop the concepts of three types of IT-enabled knowledge capabilities. Firm innovation is examined through two observable innovation outcomes: patents, and new product and service introductions. These innovation outcomes are often labeled as competitive actions aggressively undertaken by firms to gain market share or to achieve profitability. We use secondary data about IT-enabled knowledge capabilities and innovation outcomes of 110 firms. Our data results provide strong support for our main assertion that knowledge capabilities that are enhanced through the use of IT contribute to firm innovation. The studys findings suggest that the three types of IT-enabled knowledge capabilities have differential effects on firm innovation. This study substantially contributes to the information systems (IS) research, methodology, and practice in multiple ways.

Understanding Commercialization of Technological Innovation: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

The commercialization of technological innovation, which is key to entrepreneurial success, represents a combination of several entrepreneurial activities. Building on research in management, strategy, entrepreneurship, and economics, this research summarizes 194 articles from 62 journals, categorizing them into six broad entrepreneurial activity themes: sources of innovations, types of innovation, market entry competence and feasibility, protection, development, and deployment. This review and synthesis suggest a framework of commercialization and an agenda for future research along with recommendations and guidance for future research. The proposed agenda provides topics and research questions for research, as well as related recommendations regarding the study and practice of the commercialization of innovation.

Commercialization of innovations: an overarching framework and research agenda

Purpose - – The commercialization of innovation, which is key to entrepreneurial success, is a combination of several entrepreneurial activities. Building on research from fields of management, strategy, entrepreneurship, economics, and marketing, the paper summarized the extant literature to develop a framework of commercialization and an agenda for future research. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - – Extensive review of literature, which was comprised of 194 articles across 62 journals in the fields of management, strategy, entrepreneurship, economics, and marketing. Findings - – The literature was categorized into six broad themes of entrepreneurial activities: sources of innovations, types of innovation, market entry (capabilities and feasibility), protection, development, and deployment. Most of the research papers that were reviewed were concentrated on single theme. Practical implications - – Given the identification of six key themes of entrepreneurial activity leading to the commercialization of innovations, research questions were posed as a means to move the research forward by integrating the themes. Originality/value - – This is the first paper in its kind to integrate 194 papers from 62 journals to provide a comprehensive framework of commercialization of innovations.

Resource Based View of Information Systems: A Critique

The resource-based view (RBV) argues that firms possess resources, a subset of which enables them to achieve competitive advantage, and a subset of those that lead to superior long-term performance. Resources that are valuable and rare can lead to the creation of competitive advantage. That advantage can be sustained over longer time periods to the extent that the firm is able to protect against resource imitation, transfer, or substitution. In general, empirical studies using the theory have strongly supported the resource-based view.Further the Resource based view makes a useful distinction between information technology and information systems. The former is asset based, while the later comprises a mixture of assets and capabilities formed around a productive use of IT.

Information Technology Capability, Knowledge Assets and Firm Innovation: A Theoretical Framework for Conceptualizing the Role of Information Technology in Firm Innovation

In this paper, the author presents a theoretical framework that establishes an indirect link between IT capabilities and firm innovation by characterizing the mediating role of knowledge assets: knowledge networks and knowledge capabilities. Firm innovation itself is characterized as innovation development and innovation commercialization. The search on literature of IT capability and innovation revealed a very lukewarm recognition towards firm level variables in knowledge networks, knowledge capabilities, and distinction between innovation development and commercialization. Backed up by detailed reviews of literature on innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship, the author posits propositions linking the aforementioned constructs, and proposes a framework for future research linking IT Capability with Firm Innovation.

IT-Based Knowledge Capability and Commercialization of Innovations: Modeling the Impacts of Ambidexterity and Absorptive Capacity

The author provides a framework comprising of propositions for further research explicating the relations between IT-based knowledge capabilities IT-KC and Commercialization of Innovations CI. They posit that a firms absorptive capacity and ambidexterity ability to explore and exploit affect CI. Further, absorptive capacity too can be an antecedent to ambidexterity. IT based knowledge capability which is an instantiation of IT capability is found to positively moderate the relationship between ambidexterity and commercialization of innovations, and also is an antecedent to potential and realized absorptive capacity. The author ties the seemingly isolated bits of literature together into an integrative theoretical model for testing.

Expanding Opportunities in a Shrinking World: A Conceptual Model Explicating the Role of Social Networks and Internet-Based Virtual Environments in Social Entrepreneurship

The authors present a parsimonious theoretical model that illustrates how Internet-based virtual environments (such as social networking Web sites) moderate the relationship between social networks and social entrepreneurship. Social networks promote social entrepreneurship by means of (a) technology and knowledge transfer; (b) locating information; (c) generating entrepreneurial opportunities; (d) building entrepreneurial competency; (e) financing innovation; and (f) building effective networks for commercialization of innovations. Internet based virtual environments increase the velocity with which online social networks are formed and operationalized. They, thus, have a moderating effect in the relationship between social networks and social entrepreneurship. The authors also represent three concepts that are core to social networks: density, centrality, and heterogeneity. They posit that all three explain variance in social entrepreneurship and that Internet-based virtual environments moderate each of the relationships these three elements of social networks have with social entrepreneurship.

Evaluating The Antecedents Of Foundational Innovations: A Longitudinal Look At Patents From Information Technology Industry

Past research has shown that foundational innovations is often contingent upon access to technologies whose influence/application exceeds the territory of that technology’s definition (technology-application diversity) and sourcing innovation outside a firm’s focal industry (sourcing diversity). However, going outside one’s focal industry can be expensive, complicated, and distracting, possibly leading to mixed results. We theorise that while technology-application diversity enhances foundational innovations, sourcing diversity impedes it. In addition, we argue that sourcing diversity negatively moderates the relationship between technology-application diversity and foundational innovation. Finally, we argue that high technology-application diversity and low sourcing diversity will have the strongest relationship with foundational innovation. To test our assertions, we studied patent filings between 1996 and 2009 from the IT industry from the S&P 500 database. The empirical evidence supported our claims. Findings recommend that to maximise chances of foundational innovation, firms must combine high instances of technologies whose application transcend their definitions with the minimum possible contacts outside their focal industry. Thus, there is an optimum combination of sourcing diversity and technology-application diversity with which foundational innovation is maximised. We close the paper by summarising the key conclusions, conferring implications for theory and practice, and proposing avenues for future research.

Antecedents To Radical Innovations: A Longitudinal Look At Firms In The Information Technology Industry By Aggregation Of Patents

Radicalness of innovation is often contingent upon access to technologies whose applications exceed their technological definition (technology distinctness (TD)) and sourcing innovation outside a firm’s focal industry (exterior sourcing (ES)). However, going outside one’s focal industry can be expensive and can lead to inconclusive results. We posit that exterior sourcing and technology distinctness, both have inverse U relationship with radicalness. In addition, we argue that exterior sourcing negatively moderates the relationship between technology distinctness and radicalness such that high technology distinctness, and fewer and focused exterior sourcing will have the strongest relationship with radicalness. To test our assertions, we used patent filings between 1996 and 2009 from the information technology (IT) industry from the standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 database. The empirical evidence supported our claims. Findings suggest that there is an optimum recombination of exterior sourcing and technology distinctness in which radicalness is maximised. We conclude the paper by summarising the key findings, discussing implications for theory and practice, and suggesting avenues for future research.

Modeling the Effect of Organizational Structure on Organizational Self-Renewal and Knowledge Diffusion: A Theoretical Framework

Combining and Extending the concepts of fluid viscosity, system dynamics and Cobb-Douglas production function, an attempt was made to propose a theoretical framework that models the effect of organizational structure on organizational self-renewal and knowledge diffusion. It was showed that rigidity in organizational structure creates an organizational viscosity (due to vertical layers of management) and conflict of interest (between functional divisions), that affects both the self- renewal exercise and Knowledge Diffusion, which are the two most integral aspects of staying competitive in volatile business environment. It was illustrated that with the increase in the rigidity of the organizational structure causes decrease in its self-renewal exercise and diffusion of knowledge. Ironically, the model also shows that absence of any structure also has a negative impact on organizational self-renewal and knowledge diffusion. Based on its self- renewal capability organizations are categorized here, as innovators, adapters (both early and late), laggards and virtual innovators. The model explained, graphically, how knowledge diffusion decreases the time to innovate.