Xu Jiang

Managing Knowledge for Innovation: The Role of Cooperation, Competition, and Alliance Nationality

Strategic alliances play a critical role in global innovation. Firms can overcome resource constraints and achieve superior innovative performance not only by using internal resources but also by acquiring knowledge-based capabilities from alliance partners. In this study, the authors investigate how knowledge acquired from alliance partners affects organizational knowledge creation, which in turn leads to innovative performance. The authors propose that the knowledge–innovation relationship is stronger in international alliances than domestic alliances. The results from a survey of 127 German firms engaged in strategic alliances confirm that knowledge creation mediates the effect of knowledge acquisition on innovative performance and that international alliances strengthen the effect of knowledge creation on innovative performance. In addition, the authors find that interfirm cooperation and competition coexist in strategic alliances and that both factors increase knowledge acquisition, though from different motivational bases.

Strategic Flexibility and International Venturing by Emerging Market Firms: The Moderating Effects of Institutional and Relational Factors

Emerging market (EM) firms adopt international venturing strategies as they seek global opportunities, yet research to date has not fully explored the factors driving this phenomenon. Adopting the dynamic capability theory, this study investigates how strategic flexibility affects EM firms in their international venturing efforts and considers critical institutional and relational assets that act as moderators. Data from a sample of 135 Chinese firms with two key informants each indicate that strategic flexibility is positively related to EM firms’ international venturing. In addition, high levels of domestic institutional support and strong ties with foreign organizations further enhance this positive linkage. This study adds a dynamic capability view to the explanations for this new phenomenon. The authors conclude with a discussion of contributions, implications, and future directions.

Theoretical perspectives of strategic alliances: a literature review and an integrative framework

This paper aims to comment on the rationale of strategic alliances. A number of theoretical approaches shown in the mainstream literature, including transaction cost economics, resource-based view, and knowledge-based view, are reviewed and analysed. The results show that none of the three perspectives can provide a complete explanation for alliance formation and management. The paper thus proposes an integrative framework for organising the literature on the alternative perspectives of strategic alliances. The foregoing three perspectives, as well as organisational learning and innovation theories, are integrated to provide a more thorough understanding for the evolving complex phenomenon of strategic alliances.

Social Ties and Indigenous Innovation in China's Transition Economy: The Moderating Effects of Learning Intent

This study advances research on innovation by unfolding a particular innovation type, indigenous innovation, into three patterns (i.e., original innovation, integrative innovation and re-innovation). We examine how social network ties (business and institutional) influence indigenous innovation and the moderating effects of learning intent. Results from 270 Chinese firms indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between business network ties and each pattern of indigenous innovation. In contrast, institutional network ties affect original innovation in the shape of an inverted U, while they facilitate integrative innovation and re-innovation in a linear manner. Learning intent shows significant moderating effects on these main relationships.