Impact of partners' geographic distance and technological similarity on firms' digital innovation performance: Evidence from the Chinese automobile industry

IF 12.5 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-09-19 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103076

Siqi Yang , Yan Lin , Shiwen lv , Shutian Wang

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Abstract

Digital technology is fundamentally reshaping innovation processes and partner selection dynamics. We examine how collaborative geographic distance and technological similarity influence firms' innovation performance within the digital innovation context. We also investigate the moderating roles of firms' recombinative potential and partner network position. Analyzing a sample of Chinese automobile firms, we reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between geographic distance and innovation performance, whereas technological similarity exerts a positive linear effect with temporal heterogeneity. Furthermore, recombinative potential positively (negatively) moderates the distance-performance (similarity-performance) relationship. Conversely, partner network position negatively (positively) moderates the distance-performance (similarity-performance) effect. This study contributes by empirically establishing partner selection's distinct impacts (geography and technology) within the digital innovation context, revealing geographic distance's non-linear effect. It advances knowledge recombination and innovation network theories by uncovering the dual (positive/negative) moderating influence of recombinative potential and partner network position. For automotive industry practitioners, the findings provide clarity on digital innovation partner selection strategies.

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合作伙伴地理距离和技术相似性对企业数字创新绩效的影响：来自中国汽车行业的证据

数字技术正在从根本上重塑创新过程和合作伙伴选择动态。本文研究了协同地理距离和技术相似性对数字创新背景下企业创新绩效的影响。我们还研究了企业重组潜力和合作伙伴网络地位的调节作用。研究发现，地理距离对企业创新绩效的影响呈倒u型关系，技术相似性对企业创新绩效的影响呈线性正相关。此外，重组潜能正（负）调节距离-绩效（相似-绩效）关系。相反，伙伴网络位置负（正）调节距离-绩效（相似-绩效）效应。本研究通过实证建立了合作伙伴选择在数字创新背景下的显著影响（地理和技术），揭示了地理距离的非线性效应。通过揭示重组潜力和伙伴网络位置的双重（正/负）调节作用，进一步推进了知识重组和创新网络理论。对于汽车行业从业者来说，研究结果为数字创新合作伙伴选择策略提供了清晰的思路。

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

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.