Title: The impact of network embeddedness on radical innovation performance - intermediators of innovation legitimacy and resource acquisition

Authors: Jisheng Huang; Mingbei Li; Lina Mao; Ting Zhang; Jinghua Li

Addresses: Research Centre for Technology Innovation and Service Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China ' Research Centre for Technology Innovation and Service Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China ' Research Centre for Technology Innovation and Service Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China ' Research Centre for Technology Innovation and Service Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China ' Research Centre for Technology Innovation and Service Management, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China

Abstract: Innovation resource is a key factor affecting the development of enterprise innovation, while embedded network is its important channel. Under the constraints of institutional environment, legitimacy is critical to the success of radical innovation. Following the above logic, this paper builds a conceptual model explaining how network embeddedness affects radical innovation performance, integrating theories of organisational network, RBV, institution theory, with two intermediators as innovation legitimacy and resource acquisition. A questionnaire survey of 196 high-tech firms in Zhejiang province is conducted, and structural equation model approach is applied to verify the hypotheses. Four main findings are discussed, and these findings contribute to radical innovation by highlighting the significant impact of innovation legitimacy on radical innovation and also provide pragmatic implications to Chinese enterprises' radical innovation practice under current institutional transition context.

Keywords: innovation legitimacy; innovation performance; network embeddedness; radical innovation; resource acquisition.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2017.086376

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2017 Vol.17 No.3, pp.220 - 239

Received: 26 May 2016
Accepted: 12 Dec 2016
Published online: 04 Sep 2017 *

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