The effect of external partner heterogeneity on open innovation: the moderating role of the technological regime

ABSTRACT

There is widespread agreement that open innovation (OI) is strongly influenced by external partner heterogeneity. While previous studies have examined partner heterogeneity using quantitative analysis, the implications of a weighted assignment using an external partner heterogeneity index have received less attention. The purpose of this study is to develop a modified partner heterogeneity model. Specifically, using a questionnaire survey of Chinese firms, we develop a new method to measure partner organisational heterogeneity (POH). Then, the moderating factors of an industry's technological environment, termed the technological regime, are introduced. The empirical analysis shows that the technological regime is positively correlated with POH and OI performance. Hence, an advanced technological regime improves POH and OI performance by incorporating external resources and increasing innovation potential.

KEYWORDS:

• Open innovation
• organisational heterogeneity
• technological regime
• China

Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 71704155, 71573222), National Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science (grant number 20155010180, 20175010289) and Key Projects of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zhejiang Province(grant number 2017zb0006). Thanks are due to the editors and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and valuable suggestions during the review process. We also thank Geoff Whyte, MBA, for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Shufang Huang is an assistant professor of School of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics in China. She has ever focused studies on pharmaceutical innovation, respectively at Guangzhou Institutes of biomedicine and health, CAS, and at Zhejiang University. And her current research focuses on policy and management of science-technology innovation.

Jin Chen is the professor of School of Economics and Management, Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy of Tsinghua University. He was visiting scholar at MIT Sloan School of Management in 1998, when he worked with Professor Eric von Hippel. His academic research focuses on managing technological innovation and innovation policy. His most recent research deals with policy and management of open innovation.

Weiwei Ye is an assistant professor of School of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics in China. His most recent research deals with policy and management of open innovation.

Kun Wang is a graduate student who focused on innovation research. He got the master degree of management science and engineering at Zhejiang University.

Additional information

Funding

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 71704155, 71573222), National Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science (grant numbers 20155010180, 20175010289).