Title: The effect of external search depth on innovation performance: the mediating role of organisational innovation

Authors: Gun Jea Yu; Seong-Ho Cho; Hojin Jung

Addresses: College of Business Administration, Hongik University, 72-1 Sangsu-Dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, South Korea ' College of Business Administration, Hongik University, 72-1 Sangsu-Dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, South Korea ' College of Business Administration, Hongik University, 72-1 Sangsu-Dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, South Korea

Abstract: Much research has been done to examine the positive effect of external search depth on innovation performance. However, litter has been known about the process through which external search depth lead to innovation performance. This study examined the mediating effect of organisational innovation, which defined as enactment of newly made process, practice, and structure to reach a firm's goal, on the relationship between external search depth. We considered three types of organisational innovation such as the change of process, introduction of organisational structure to enhance the cooperation, and the encouragement of the cooperation using 3,442 firms in Korea. The results suggested that external search depth is positively associated with innovation performance. In addition, we found that organisational innovation mediated the main relationship. This study contributes to the current innovation literature by providing the evidence on the mediating effect of organisational innovation.

Keywords: external search depth; innovation performance; organisational innovation; mediation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2023.135506

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2023 Vol.32 No.4, pp.560 - 570

Received: 05 Nov 2020
Accepted: 21 May 2021
Published online: 15 Dec 2023 *

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