International Journal of Technology Management (18 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• How can Technology Intelligence experts benefit from the use of structured analytical frameworks? Proposals based on the Technological Innovation System approach  
  by Marina Flamand, Vincent Frigant 
  Abstract: Technology Intelligence as an information practice for decision support in innovation is attracting increasing interest from companies. This exploratory article discusses an underestimated way to improve technology intelligence practices: the use of structured analysis frameworks. We present an opportunity for technology intelligence experts to incorporate the lessons of innovation studies into the way they study the dynamics of innovation, thereby consolidating and diversifying the insights they are likely to provide to decision makers. More specifically, we show how the Technological Innovation Systems approach can contribute to technology intelligence analysis. We argue that this approach can provide a relevant analytical tool for analysing and evaluating the development of a particular technological field. As a result, the analyses produced will be richer and the professionalisation of the technology intelligence experts can be expected to improve.
  Keywords: Technology intelligence; technological innovation system; structured analytical framework; technological field study.
  
  
• R&D Area Diversity and Innovation Quality: A Cross-functional Absorptive Capacity Perspective  
  by Tianyu Hou, Wei Wang, Jin Chen, Haijie Wang 
  Abstract: Although many studies have investigated how the diversity of R&D human capital influences innovation performance, the impact of the diversity of functional areas in R&D centres remains poorly understood. Drawing on the absorptive capacity framework, this study examines how R&D area diversity influences innovation quality. As R&D activities are embedded in organisational social networks and knowledge networks, we further investigate how social cohesion, knowledge cohesion, and social-knowledge cohesion moderate the effect of R&D area diversity on innovation quality. We argue that R&D area diversity improves intra-organisational cross-function absorptive capacity, which enhances innovation quality. The positive effect of R&D area diversity increases when social cohesion and knowledge cohesion are high, and the coupling of social-knowledge cohesion is low. An analysis of a large longitudinal dataset of 3,061 firm-year observations covering 486 global pharmaceutical firms provides strong support for our hypotheses. We end with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications.
  Keywords: innovation quality; R&D area diversity; social cohesion; knowledge cohesion; social-knowledge cohesion; absorptive capacity; pharmaceutical firms; patents; Poisson estimation; panel regressions.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10062974
   
  
• The Impact of Employees' Digital Growth Mindset on Digital Transformation Engagement  
  by Yaxin Zhao, Qinxian Liu, Taro Kamioka 
  Abstract: Rapidly developing digital technologies affect private companies' digital transformation (DT). However, most companies have not made much progress in DT as they initially expected. While it is claimed that employees' mindset is critical in promoting DT, there is a paucity of empirical research documenting how their mindset is related to progress in DT. This study presents a new concept of the digital growth mindset, which is the belief that digital technology can improve people's abilities. Employees with this mindset embrace new technologies proactively, which enhances their agility in changing environments, increasing their engagement in DT. A questionnaire survey conducted in Japan showed that digital growth mindset positively affects employees' DT engagement and digital agility.
  Keywords: digital growth mindset; DGM; digital mindset; growth mindset; digital transformation engagement; DTE; employee digital agility; EDA; digital transformation; DT.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10064347
   
  
• Robots and Firm Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China  
  by Bowen Li, Xin LIU, Cai Zhou 
  Abstract: Utilizing data of robot application in prefecture-level and Chinese listed firms from 2003 to 2017, this research investigates the impact of industrial robots on the firm total factor productivity (TFP). Empirical results show that the application of industrial robots can boost the growth of firm TFP. The conclusion holds after multiple robustness tests taking into account the effects of the industry, different estimation methods, and instrumental variables. Moreover, the results indicate that the effects of industrial robots enhance firm TFP is particularly evident for non-state-owned enterprises, capital-intensive industries, firms with less financial constraints, and those located in eastern regions. Mechanism analysis shows that industrial robots improve firm TFP by boosting innovative vitality and operation efficiency. These findings help deepen the understanding of how industrial robots shape the TFP at the firm level, and provide policy implications for promoting technology and economic development.
  Keywords: Industrial robot; Firm total factor productivity; Innovation vitality; Operation efficiency.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2024.10067706
   
  
• Selection of Collaborative Partners for Ambidextrous Technological Innovation: an Approach based on Community Detection  
  by Chunhua Ju, Qianwen Cao 
  Abstract: The selection of an appropriate partner plays a crucial role in overcoming technological barriers via technological innovation. This study aims to propose a methodology for the selection of technological innovation partners, focusing on recommending different potential partners based on ambidextrous technological innovation. This article presents a comprehensive framework for partner selection in collaborative innovation. The construction of collaboration networks relies on the existing collaborative relationships. The Louvain algorithm is employed to partition networks into distinct communities, while the number of time of co-citation is utilised for selecting the appropriate community. The community members are divided into two parts of partners for radical innovation and partners for incremental innovation based on their technical distance from the enterprise requiring partners. The partner selection methods proposed in this study demonstrate remarkable efficacy in expanding the range of partner selection options, improving selection efficiency and enhancing pertinence.
  Keywords: Collaboration network; Community detection; Technological innovation; Radical innovation; Incremental innovation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2024.10067996
   
  
• The Measurement and Influencing Factors of Technology Standardisation Capability of Enterprises: the Case of Chinese Industry Standards  
  by Chen Tian, Junyan Zhang, Dayong Liu 
  Abstract: An enterprises technology standardisation capability (TSC) plays an important role in building competitive advantage. Thus, under the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, this study empirically examines 1,234 Chinese industry standards to explore the influence of different factors on firms TSC. More importantly, we propose a TSC measurement model based on patent and technical standard texts to accurately identify the differences in TSC among different companies. The results show that: 1) technology dependence (TD) affects enterprise TSC negatively, and there is a U-shaped relationship between technology complementarity (TC) and TSC; 2) the negative effect of technology dependence on enterprise TSC diminishes as organisational embeddedness (OE) increases; 3) in more competitive industries, enterprises need to increase technology complementarity more extensively to improve TSC; 4) there are differences in the effects of different factors on standardised and non-standardised active enterprises.
  Keywords: technology-organization-environment; technology standardization capability; industry standard; text analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2024.10068053
   
  

Special Issue on: Digital Transformation and Innovation in Emerging Economies

• Overseas R&D investment and enterprise digital transformation  
  by Min Xia, Qianqiang Li, Yang Yang, Yiang Yang 
  Abstract: Extant research focuses on the antecedents and outcomes of digital transformation in enterprises. This study intends to investigate the driving factors of digital transformation from an international perspective, explicating the relationship between enterprises' overseas R&D investments and digital transformation. Drawing on insights from the perspectives of social networks and resource-based views, we argue that overseas R&D investment can facilitate the digital transformation of enterprises. And this positive effect is strengthened as the enterprise is non-state-owned and conglomerate-affiliated and as its motivation is exploratory learning when it implements its overseas R&D investment. We employ the PSM-DID model and heterogeneity tests to investigate the impact and boundary conditions of overseas R&D investment on digital transformation, using data from Chinese listed enterprises across six manufacturing industries between 2010 and 2018. Our analysis finds supportive evidence. We discuss implications for the burgeoning literature on digital transformation and international business.
  Keywords: overseas R&D investment; digital transformation; innovation; PSM-DID; investment motives.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10059289
   
  
• Analysis on the influence of innovation factors on the digital transformation of Chinese manufacturing enterprises: empirical evidence from A-share listed companies in manufacturing industry  
  by Jianhua Dai, Shuanglei Xu 
  Abstract: In the era of digital economy, the digital transformation of enterprises has become a new power to improve the competitive advantage of enterprises and a new engine for the high-quality development of China's economy. From the perspective of innovation factors, this paper empirically tests the impact of innovation factors on digital transformation of Chinese manufacturing enterprises based on the micro data of A-share listed companies in China's manufacturing industry. The results show that the number of R&D personnel, R&D investment and executive education has a positive impact on enterprises' digital transformation, and this impact is heterogeneous in different industries and regions. Therefore, enterprises and the state need to increase investment in human capital and research and development, clarify regional competitive advantages, and optimise regional industrial layout.
  Keywords: innovation; manufacture; enterprise; digital transformation; influence.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10064013
   
  
• Factor conditions and capability building of artificial intelligence empowered digital transformation in the banking sector: a case study of a Chinese bank  
  by Xin Su, Yanyu Wang 
  Abstract: Digital capabilities and financial technologies have gained increasing attention in recent years. However, the factor conditions and capability building are not clarified and there is no comprehensive competency model to summarise the theoretical findings and industrial practices. Herein, an in-depth single case study of the largest state-owned commercial bank in China was conducted to explore factor conditions and capability building of digital transformation in the banking sector using interviews and questionnaires. The findings identified three driving factors and four restraining factors of digital transformation, and a synergy-technology-agility-resource (STAR) business model was proposed subsequently to match these factor conditions. Furthermore, a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach was adopted to analyse factor configurations and further demonstrate the qualitative results. This study contributed to the field by summarising the factor conditions and business capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the banking industry, categorising the digital transformation processes into several configuration solutions, and providing a theoretical framework and practical guidance for academia and industry.
  Keywords: artificial intelligence; AI; digital transformation; banking industry; factor conditions; business capabilities; fsQCA approach.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10059716
   
  
• Configurations for corporate digital innovation: investigating the roles of technology, organisation and environment  
  by Yaojun Wang, Pinglei Xu, Xiaoyu Yu, Xiaoyong Zhou 
  Abstract: Corporations are increasingly applying digital technologies to gain competitive advantages. However, not all firm initiatives result in digital innovation. Studies have highlighted the ambivalent role of individual factors, such as technological, organisational or environmental factors, in fostering or hindering digital innovation. Using a configurational approach of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), we investigate the interplay of six conditions within the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework that potentially influence digital innovation. Based on data from 195 Chinese manufacturing companies, we identify four configurations that lead to digital innovation. This study enhances understanding of the interdependence of the causal conditions (e.g., technology infrastructure) in set relations with outcome of digital innovation in different firms. This study also enriches the literature that investigates antecedents of digital innovation holistically.
  Keywords: digital technology; digital innovation; fsQCA analysis; TOE framework; manufacturing firms; China.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10060837
   
  
• Enterprise niche and digital business model innovation - enabling role of organisational routine updating  
  by Fei Zhou, Na Zhang, Chunjia Han 
  Abstract: An enterprise's innovation ability depends on its position and state in the innovation ecosystem, in which maintaining its niche heterogeneity and competitiveness is key to its survival and development. However, it is unclear how the enterprise's ecological niche in the innovation ecosystem affects digital business model innovation (BMI). Based on the context of the innovation ecosystem and the theory of routine dynamics, this study explores the impact of enterprise niche on digital BMI and possible moderating role of routine updating. Through an empirical analysis of 208 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing in China that are undergoing digital transformation, the findings show that enterprise niche width and a low level of overlap have not only positive independent but also significant positive interactive effects on digital BMI. Both routine amendment and creation positively moderate the relationship between low enterprise niche overlap and digital BMI, but their moderating effect on the relationship between niche width and digital BMI is not significant.
  Keywords: enterprise niche; digital business model innovation; BMI; routine amendment; routine creation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10059971
   
  
• How do director networks improve digital innovation in China? An explanation grounded in knowledge-based view  
  by Qiang Lu, Yihang Zhou, Jinliang Chen, Yang Deng 
  Abstract: The role of links in knowledge transmission, from the external to the internal, highlights the need to explore whether director networks can promote digital innovation. Based on knowledge-based view, this study assesses the influence of director networks on digital innovation. With the analysis of data (from 2012 to 2019) from Chinese manufacturing listed companies, this study finds the following results: 1) director network centrality has a positive effect on digital innovation; 2) director network structural holes positively impact digital innovation; 3) knowledge environment negatively moderates the relationship between director networks and digital innovation; 4) legal environment negatively moderates the relationship between director network centrality and digital innovation, but has no moderating effect on the relationship between director network structural holes and digital innovation. This study explores the relationship between director networks and digital innovation, providing both practical and theoretical significance to the field of digital innovation.
  Keywords: digital innovation; director network centrality; director network structural holes; knowledge-based view; KBV; China.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10060850
   
  
• Effect of the digital transformation of firms in a developing country on their reverse innovation: the complementary roles of multi-contexts  
  by Xu Chu, Yuntao Bai 
  Abstract: Reverse innovation (RI) research on multinational companies (MNCs) in developed countries has flourished, while the driving mechanism of RI in firms in developing countries remains understudied. From a resource dependence theory perspective, this study proposes that digital transformation (DT) can serve as a strategic arrangement with convergence, connectivity, and image-shaping functions to help overcome the liability of foreignness of firms in developing countries, thereby facilitating their RI. Our evidence of 17,397 observations from Chinese listed manufacturing companies supports the relationship between DT and RI. Additionally, we find that several contextual factors (e.g., executives' overseas backgrounds (OSB), firm's internationalisation degree (INT), and regional market intermediaries' development (RMI)) facilitate a positive DT-RI relationship by reducing firms' liability of foreignness. Our research contributes to RI's driving mechanism from firms in developing countries through the DT perspective and the awareness of the complementary roles of multi-contexts.
  Keywords: digital transformation; DT; reverse innovation; RI; multi-contexts; complementary roles.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10056266
   
  
• The moderating role of collaborative capacity in the relationship between ecological niche-fitness and innovation investment: an ecosystem perspective  
  by Yan Zhao, Luying Li, Niannian Qi, T.C. Edwin Cheng, Tachia Chin 
  Abstract: The manufacturing supply chain in China has moved to a new form of innovation ecosystem with a novel characteristic of multi-agent collaboration. According to this new phenomenon, we integrate the ecological niche perspective with the theory of institutional economics to explore the impact mechanism among ecological niche-fitness, collaborative capacity and innovation investment in China's high-tech manufacturing sector. With panel data from 2011 to 2020, our results show a U-shaped nonlinear relationship between ecological niche-fitness and industry innovation scale, and a positive impact of ecological niche-fitness on innovation investment intensity. The economic development level has moderating effects on these relationships, and the association between ecological niche-fitness and innovation investment scale is moderated by collaborative capability. Theoretically, we enrich the innovation literature by incorporating ecological niche-fitness into the context of innovative ecosystem. We also provide important managerial implications for regional governments to regulate innovation ecosystems and promote industrial innovation.
  Keywords: innovation ecosystem; ecological niche-fitness; collaborative capacity; industrial innovation investment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10059963
   
  
• Double-edged sword? The influence of digital technology adoption diversity on knowledge sharing  
  by Pinglu Zhou, Donghong Li, Pengcheng Ma, Qiwei Zhou 
  Abstract: Digital transformation is crucial for firms to gain competitive advantages. While many studies focus on digital technologies, they take all digital technologies as the same and fail to explore the heterogeneity of digital technology. Motivated by this gap, this study explores the relationship between digital technology adoption diversity and knowledge sharing. Empirical findings from survey data of 123 large companies indicated that the association between digital technology adoption diversity and external knowledge sharing is inverted-U shaped; the association between digital technology adoption diversity and internal knowledge sharing is linear and positive. Moreover, environmental turbulence, including technological and policy turbulence, plays a moderating role on this relationship. This study expands the knowledge on digital transformation and knowledge management.
  Keywords: digital transformation; digital technology; knowledge sharing; environmental turbulence.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10058101
   
  
• The mediating effect of business process digitisation on organisational unlearning and the firms' innovation quality: evidence from China  
  by Yunlong Duan, Yushu Liu, Meng Yang, Shanshan Wang, Jie Jin 
  Abstract: With the rapid development of the digital economy, organisational resources and paradigms have dramatically changed, suggesting it is imperative for firms to unlearn the obsolete knowledge and adopt digital technologies and platforms to achieve high-quality innovation. However, there is currently little research exploring the role of organisational unlearning in innovation quality in the context of digital transformation. Based on a questionnaire survey of 324 respondents from various industries across China, this study proves that organisational unlearning significantly facilitates a firm's innovation quality divided into three dimensions, (i.e., technology innovation quality, transformation innovation quality, and service innovation quality). Additionally, business process digitisation plays a partial mediating role in the above relationships. This study contributes to organisational learning and innovation management literature. It also serves as a reference for managers to upgrade existing business processes while making effective strategic decisions on innovation.
  Keywords: organisational unlearning; business process digitisation; innovation quality; China.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10060835
   
  
• (How) does digital transformation promote boundary-spanning strategies? Evidence from Chinese firms' unrelated diversification  
  by Di Zhu, W.G. Will Zhao, Qin Wu, Xiao Zhang 
  Abstract: The emergence of new generations of digital technologies has presented firms with important strategic opportunities at the corporate level. This study investigates the digital transformation - unrelated diversification link and theorises the role of industry shakeout and the performance expectation gap in said relationship. Our analysis based on the data of China's A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2020 shows that: 1) the degree of firms' digital transformation is positively correlated to the degree of their unrelated diversification; 2) industry shakeout positively moderates the above relationship, i.e., in industries with a higher degree of shakeout, the positive digital transformation-unrelated diversification link is more pronounced; 3) the performance expectation gap negatively moderates the digital transformation-unrelated diversification link, i.e., the greater the performance expectation gap, the weaker the positive correlation between firms' digital transformation and their unrelated diversification.
  Keywords: digital innovation; unrelated diversification; industry shakeouts; performance expectation gap; corporate strategy; digital transformation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10057794
   
  
• Digitalisation and complementary integration: a case study of a Chinese real estate company  
  by Xin-zhi Chang, Xie-lin Liu 
  Abstract: In the digital age, incumbents are seeking new strategies to address their lack of digital capabilities and resources. To avoid disruption, complementary integration offers incumbents a mean to explore creative destruction proactively. Complementary integration is organised around dynamic capabilities and resource management, transforming incumbents' identities through implementing complementary activities to achieve value chain integration. However, few empirical studies have explained how complementary integration is achieved. Focusing on the development of construction robots by a Chinese real estate company, this paper uses dynamic capabilities and resource management theories to show how incumbents can achieve complementary integration through digital upgrading. The paper emphasises that the ability to identify complementary industries, seize and bundle complementary resources, and re-configure and leverage complementary capabilities helps to transform traditional incumbents into complementary industry leaders. This process leads to the emergence of complementary integration strategies, which create a new industry and market logic. In addition, the paper emphasises the nuances of complementary integration and cross-boundary disruption in expanding the boundary of firms.
  Keywords: digitalisation; complementary integration; incumbents; dynamic capabilities; construction robots.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2023.10060836