The key role of digital ambidextrous capabilities in cross-boundary innovation: Moderating effects of technological diversification and environmental turbulence

IF 3.7 3区管理学 Q2 BUSINESS

Journal of Engineering and Technology Management Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jengtecman.2025.101895

Xiaobin Feng, Bowen Xiao, Hanzhong Zheng

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Although the importance of digital technology in fostering cross-boundary innovation (CBI) has attracted increasing attention from scholars and practitioners, research gaps persist concerning how firms’ capabilities in leveraging digital technologies influence CBI and the boundary conditions that either facilitate or impede its effectiveness. Based on firm capability theory, this study distinguishes firms’ digital ambidextrous capabilities to achieve different digital goals from an organisational ambidexterity perspective. Using fixed effects and interaction effects models to analyse data from 730 publicly listed Chinese firms, this investigation explores the roles of digital exploratory capability (DERC) and digital exploitative capability (DEIC) in enhancing CBI. The results indicate that DERC and DEIC substantially foster CBI. Technological diversification acts as a positive moderator in the relationship between DERC and CBI, whilst exhibiting an inverted U-shaped moderation between DEIC and CBI. Furthermore, environmental turbulence moderates the relationship between DERC and CBI in an inverted U-shape and positively moderates the relationship between DEIC and CBI. Additionally, SOEs are more reliant on DEIC for CBI and less susceptible to environmental turbulence. This study provides new managerial insights for firms to establish and leverage digital ambidextrous capabilities to achieve CBI.

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数字双灵巧能力在跨界创新中的关键作用：技术多样化和环境动荡的调节作用

尽管数字技术在促进跨界创新（CBI）方面的重要性越来越受到学者和实践者的关注，但在企业利用数字技术的能力如何影响跨界创新以及促进或阻碍其有效性的边界条件方面，研究差距仍然存在。本研究以企业能力理论为基础，从组织双元性视角对企业实现不同数字化目标的数字双元性能力进行了区分。本文运用固定效应和交互效应模型分析了730家中国上市公司的数据，探讨了数字探索能力（DERC）和数字开发能力（DEIC）在提升企业创新能力中的作用。结果表明，DERC和DEIC在很大程度上促进了CBI。技术多样化在DERC和CBI之间起到正向调节作用，而在DEIC和CBI之间表现出倒u型调节作用。此外，环境湍流对DERC和CBI之间的关系具有倒u型调节作用，并对DEIC和CBI之间的关系具有正向调节作用。此外，国有企业更依赖DEIC实现CBI，不太容易受到环境动荡的影响。本研究为企业建立和利用数字化双灵巧能力来实现CBI提供了新的管理见解。

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

Journal of Engineering and Technology Management 管理科学-工程：工业

CiteScore

8.00

自引率

6.20%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Engineering and Technology Management (JET-M) is an international scholarly refereed research journal which aims to promote the theory and practice of technology, innovation, and engineering management. The journal links engineering, science, and management disciplines. It addresses the issues involved in the planning, development, and implementation of technological capabilities to shape and accomplish the strategic and operational objectives of an organization. It covers not only R&D management, but also the entire spectrum of managerial concerns in technology-based organizations. This includes issues relating to new product development, human resource management, innovation process management, project management, technological fusion, marketing, technological forecasting and strategic planning. The journal provides an interface between technology and other corporate functions, such as R&D, marketing, manufacturing and administration. Its ultimate goal is to make a profound contribution to theory development, research and practice by serving as a leading forum for the publication of scholarly research on all aspects of technology, innovation, and engineering management.