Network embeddedness and mobile inventors' creativity: role of the cognitive dimension

IF 4.1 3区管理学 Q2 BUSINESS

Management Decision Pub Date : 2024-09-09 DOI:10.1108/md-05-2023-0696

Zeqian Wang, Chengjun Wang, Xiaoming Sun, Tao Feng

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

The role of inventors' creativity is crucial for technological innovation within enterprises. The mobility of inventors among different enterprises is a primary source for companies to acquire external knowledge. The mechanism of “learning-by-hiring” is widely recognized by companies. Therefore, it is important to determine how to allocate network resources to enhance the creativity of inventors when companies hire mobile inventors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study suggests an analytical framework that analyzes alterations in tie strength and structural holes resulting from the network embeddedness of mobile inventors as well as the effect of the interaction between these two variables on changes in inventor’s creativity after the mobility. In addition, this paper examines the moderating impact of cognitive richness of mobile inventors and cognitive distance between mobile inventors and new employers on the correlation between network embeddedness and creativity.

Findings

This study found that: (1) The increase of tie strength has a significant boost in creativity. (2) Increasing structural holes can significantly improve the creativity of mobile inventors. (3) When both the tie strength and the structural holes increase, the creativity of the mobile inventors significantly increases. (4) It is important to note that when there is a greater cognitive distance, stronger tie strength promotes the creativity of mobile inventors. Additionally, cognitive richness plays a significant role in moderating the relationship between changes in structural holes and the creativity of mobile inventors.

Originality/value

These findings provide theoretical guidance for firms to effectively manage mobile inventors and optimize collaborative networks within organizations.

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网络嵌入性与移动发明者的创造力：认知层面的作用

目的发明人的创造力对于企业内部的技术创新至关重要。发明人在不同企业之间的流动是企业获取外部知识的主要来源。企业普遍认可 "雇佣学习 "机制。本研究提出了一个分析框架，分析了流动发明人的网络嵌入性导致的纽带强度和结构洞的变化，以及这两个变量之间的相互作用对流动后发明人创造力变化的影响。此外，本文还研究了流动发明人的认知丰富度和流动发明人与新雇主之间的认知距离对网络嵌入性与创造力之间相关性的调节作用：(1）纽带强度的增加对创造力有显著促进作用。(2）结构洞的增加能显著提高流动发明者的创造力。(3) 当纽带强度和结构洞都增加时，移动发明者的创造力会显著提高。(4) 值得注意的是，当认知距离较大时，较强的纽带强度会促进移动发明者的创造力。此外，认知丰富度在调节结构洞变化与流动发明者创造力之间的关系中发挥了重要作用。原创性/价值这些发现为企业有效管理流动发明者和优化组织内的协作网络提供了理论指导。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Management Decision Multiple-

CiteScore

8.20

自引率

8.70%

发文量

126

期刊介绍： ■In-depth studies of major issues ■Operations management ■Financial management ■Motivation ■Entrepreneurship ■Problem solving and proactivity ■Serious management argument ■Strategy and policy issues ■Tactics for turning around company crises Management Decision, considered by many to be the best publication in its field, consistently offers thoughtful and provocative insights into current management practice. As such, its high calibre contributions from leading management philosophers and practitioners make it an invaluable resource in the aggressive and demanding trading climate of the Twenty-First Century.