How External Knowledge Sourcing Affects New Product Innovativeness: The Double-edged Role of Organizational Implementation
(A2025-126005)

AUTHORS

Xiaoyun Chen, The University of Macau; Kevin Zheng Zhou, the University of Hong Kong; May Wang, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College; Yukun FENG, The University of Macau; Fang Qian, University of Macau

ABSTRACT

Firms are increasingly sourcing both technical and managerial knowledge from external parties for product innovation. However, the role of external knowledge sourcing in innovating products has not been fully comprehended because extant studies have presented inconsistent findings. This study proposes that organizational implementation (i.e., implementation speed and process control) plays a double-edged role in moderating the relationship between external knowledge sourcing and new product innovativeness. The analysis of survey data from 205 Chinese high-tech firms shows that firms' implementation speed weakens the positive effect of technical knowledge but strengthens the positive effect of managerial knowledge on new product innovativeness. Unfortunately, we only found that firms' process control weakens the positive effect of managerial knowledge on new product innovativeness. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.