Journal of Innovation & Knowledge最新文献

{"title":"R&D investment target setting and enterprise innovation strategy: Substantive or symbolic?","authors":"Tao Ge ,&nbsp;Mengke Wang ,&nbsp;Dongyu Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Setting research and development (R&amp;D) investment targets is a significant approach for governments to implement innovation-driven strategies. Based on data from Chinese A-share listed firms from 2004 to 2022, this study uses a staggered ‌difference-in-differences model to explore the impact of R&amp;D investment target setting on enterprise innovation strategies. The results demonstrate that R&amp;D investment target setting can promote enterprise innovation, with a stronger effect on symbolic innovation than substantive innovation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that R&amp;D investment target setting can enhance innovation in mature- and decline-stage enterprises but not growth-stage enterprises. In addition, labor- and capital-intensive enterprises tend toward symbolic innovation, whereas technology-intensive enterprises avoid substantive innovation. Mechanism analysis reveals that R&amp;D investment target-setting drives enterprise innovation by empowering human capital, expanding financing scale, and promoting strategic alliances. Furthermore, economic growth targets are found to strengthen the innovation effect of R&amp;D investment target setting, but only substantive innovation contributes to enterprise growth. These findings are crucial for optimizing government target management and enterprise innovation activities to construct an innovation-driven country.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 6","pages":"Article 100807"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global Innovation and uncertainty dynamics: Implications for bank performance","authors":"Mohamed Albaity ,&nbsp;Ray Saadaoui Mallek ,&nbsp;Ijaz Ur-Rehman ,&nbsp;Hasan Mustafa","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the impact of the Global Innovation Index (GII) and uncertainty and of their interaction on bank performance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 2011 to 2022. Our findings indicate that innovation is associated with nuanced relationships with bank performance indicators, and innovation potentially increases (decreases) performance via the return on asssets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), Tobin’s Q, and stock market returns. Our analysis demonstrates that uncertainty plays a complex role in influencing bank performance. It has a negative impact on economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and the World Uncertainty Index (WUI), but a positive impact on geopolitical risk (GPR). However, we observe an interaction effect, which suggests that uncertainty has the potential to either diminish or amplify the impact of innovation on bank performance metrics. Specifically, the relationship between innovation and bank performance, whether negative or positive, is influenced by the presence of uncertainty. This nuanced interaction highlights the dynamic nature of the relationship between innovation and bank performance, as it is contingent on the prevailing level of uncertainty. Therefore, fostering an environment in the banking sector that is conducive to growth and stability is crucial for enhancing innovation, minimizing uncertainty, and improving bank performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 6","pages":"Article 100800"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do local subsidiaries have unique characteristics in strategies, knowledge, and digital transformation efforts to achieve circular economy goals?","authors":"Matteo Pozzoli,&nbsp;Raffaela Nastari,&nbsp;Sabrina Pisano,&nbsp;Francesco Schiavone","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100802","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100802","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how circular business models (CBMs) and industry 4.0 technologies (I4.0Ts) can connect in the specific context of local subsidiaries. The study adopted a case study methodology, involving twelve semi-structured interviews with key board members of Schneider Electric. Multiple methods of data collection were used to derive robust findings, including interviews, reviews of company sustainability reports, and participation in a workshop organised by the company to learn about its operations. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results suggest that I4.0Ts may positively influence resource use reduction and circular economy (CE) goals. However, given the study’s qualitative nature and single-company scope, these findings should be interpreted as indicative rather than broadly generalisable. The adoption of I4.0Ts appears driven mainly by legitimacy, stakeholder consensus needs, and regulatory compliance pressures. The study is based on a single case and primarily qualitative evidence; broader validation through comparative or quantitative research would strengthen the robustness of the insights. This research offers tentative insights for other companies considering CE-oriented digital transitions, highlighting potential benefits and challenges. Policymakers are encouraged to support firms in addressing knowledge transfer and workforce resistance barriers. This study adds to the debate on how local subsidiaries can contribute to the CE through I4.0Ts, while also stressing the need for a cautious interpretation of claims about universal advantages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100802"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correcting positioning deviation through platform service innovation: Realisation mechanisms and design principles","authors":"Xiao Xuan ,&nbsp;Wenqi Duan ,&nbsp;Lijia Kong","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The discrepancy between platform positioning and user needs, termed positioning deviation, is a critical determinant of user churn and potential platform failure. Platform service innovation can be potential remedy to correct positioning deviation. As such, understanding the mechanisms and design principles underlying such platform service innovation for correcting positioning deviation is crucial. Addressing this, this study adopts a systematic problem analysis approach, adhering to the sequence of ‘user churn → positioning deviation correction → service innovation.’ First, a duopoly competition model is constructed to clarify why platform positioning deviation leads to user churn and platform failure. Next, service innovation is embedded into the user utility function to expand the original model, while the mechanisms for realising positioning deviation correction through platform service innovation is revealed via numerical calculation. Finally, taking the optimal innovative service type under quality demand as an example, simulation analysis is performed on each characteristic parameter’s influence. Further, the design principles of platform service innovation for correcting positioning deviation are explored, and subsequently, validated through application cases. The results reveal that platform managers can effectively address positioning deviation by providing personalised and diversified innovative services. The core of service innovation design is based on several parameters, including the demand state when positioning deviation occurs, strength of the cross-side network effect, degree of user heterogeneity, platform development cost required by the unit service, additional value of the platform, buyer utility increased by the unit service, and seller development cost increased by the unit service. Overall, the study offers valuable insights for managers to drive service innovation through adaptive dynamic matching, critical parameter control, utility-cost optimisation, and strategic digital marketing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100727"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shaping digital entrepreneurial intention in higher education: the role of entrepreneurship education, creativity, and digital literacy among Chinese university students","authors":"Yaoming Liang ,&nbsp;Ruiqi Chen ,&nbsp;Hanhui Hong ,&nbsp;Sisi Li ,&nbsp;Li Han","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As digital technologies reshape the global economy, fostering digital entrepreneurial intention (<em>DEI</em>) among university students has become an urgent educational goal. However, empirical research on how entrepreneurship education promotes <em>DEI</em>, particularly through creativity and digital literacy, remains limited. Drawing on survey data from 1188 graduating students at a “double first-class” university in Guangdong, China, this study examines how different forms of entrepreneurship education (theoretical vs. practice-based) influence <em>DEI</em>. To control for selection bias and strengthen causal inference, propensity score matching (PSM) is applied. The results show that practice-oriented education significantly enhances <em>DEI</em> by fostering creativity, which serves as a mediating mechanism. Moreover, digital literacy, particularly growth-oriented social media use, moderates the direct effect of education on <em>DEI</em>, amplifying its impact, while entertainment-oriented use diminishes it. These findings underscore the importance of experiential entrepreneurship curricula that integrate digital skill development and purposeful social media engagement to cultivate entrepreneurial readiness in the digital age.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100788"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Demanding perfection, losing innovation”: The sequential mediating roles of psychological contract breach and knowledge-hiding behavior and the buffering effect of artificial intelligence technology acceptance","authors":"BYUNG-JIK KIM ,&nbsp;JULAK LEE","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100803","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100803","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how organizationally prescribed perfectionism (OPP) influences organizational innovation through the sequential mediating roles of psychological contract breach (PCB) and knowledge-hiding behavior (KHB), with artificial intelligence technology acceptance (AITA) demonstrating a moderating impact. Adopting a four-wave, time-lagged research design, data were gathered from 849 employed adults in South Korea, yielding 363 usable responses. The measurement model was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, which demonstrated the distinctiveness of the core constructs. Structural equation modeling assessed the hypothesized relationships and revealed that OPP had no direct effect on innovation; rather, its impact was mediated by PCB, which occurs when employees perceive the unyielding demands of an organization as violating mutual obligations, and subsequently by KHB, which refers to individuals withholding work-related information. This chain of unfavorable perceptions and behaviors ultimately diminishes organization-level innovation capacity. Furthermore, AITA functioned as a crucial buffer in the link between OPP and PCB, signifying that employees who were more receptive to AI tools were less likely to interpret perfectionistic standards as unfair. This study’s findings enhance the current theoretical discourse by highlighting a multi-level explanatory process that elucidates how externally imposed performance pressure erodes innovation potential. The results also demonstrate technological acceptance’s pivotal role in mitigating such challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100803"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144931614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing enterprises’ green and low-carbon innovation through digital technology embeddedness: From passive response to active innovation","authors":"Nanxu Chen,&nbsp;Yuling Hu,&nbsp;Lintao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100801","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100801","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Promoting green and low-carbon innovation (GCI) with digitalization is important to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality goals and would accelerate low-carbon transformation. Digital technology embeddedness (DTE) disrupts traditional business innovation patterns, but its ability to steer innovation toward low-carbon-biased technologies is debated. Based on enterprises’ innovation motivation from passive response to active change, this study explores the impact mechanism and network spillover effect of DTE on GCI by combining data of green and low-carbon patent and technical knowledge complexity in China. The study finds that (1) DTE positively impacts GCI and increases its technical knowledge complexity. This effect is particularly evident in enterprises with weak technology accumulation, large-scale, better ESG performance and heavily polluted enterprises. (2) Through the moderating effect of passive response channels, DTE forces enterprises to choose GCI under external environmental pressure from government environmental regulation, public environmental awareness and market innovation transformation ability. (3) Active innovation mechanisms show DTE stimulates enterprises to seek low-carbon-biased technologies by improving their market information acquisition, knowledge-sharing and absorption, and collaborative innovation abilities, thus improving GCI. (4) Peer spillover and supply chain spillovers strengthen the positive impact of DTE on GCI, resulting in green and low-carbon transformation via improved GCI scale and quality within the industry and supply chain. Hence, a novel governance pattern could be established by using digital technology as a core strategy, with participation of multiple agents (government, enterprises and the public) and creation of a green and intelligent innovative supply chain system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100801"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144931819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Market research and knowledge using Generative AI: the power of Large Language Models","authors":"Macarena Estevez ,&nbsp;María Teresa Ballestar ,&nbsp;Jorge Sainz","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100796","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100796","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is rapidly transforming the marketing industry with its capabilities in data analysis, personalisation, strategic optimisation, and content generation, providing powerful tools for businesses aiming to establish or maintain a strong brand position. This research examines the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) for market research, enabling marketers to create insights that capture the complexities of market behaviour and customer psychology, helping them to connect with their target audiences more meaningfully and effectively. Particularly, it aims to evaluate the extent to which GAI can replicate traditional market research. We conducted a comprehensive survey on beer consumption in Spain, covering all conversion funnel stages, from Brand Awareness to Purchase. The study was replicated using four prominent LLMs: ChatGPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), Claude (Anthropic) and LlaMa (Meta), and the results of these LLMs were compared with those of the traditional survey using a collection of statistical methods. Our results show that LLMs are valuable for market research, offering significant insights as reliable proxies. This represents a competitive advantage by making studies of this kind more accessible and cost-effective, benefitting companies of all sizes. However, LLMs cannot fully replicate traditional methods and present result variability, introducing risks in decision-making because of potential errors in data generation that are complex to estimate without benchmarking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100796"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144931818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance lead to ambidextrous innovation? Integrating stakeholder and institutional theories","authors":"Huanyong Ji ,&nbsp;Jing Huang ,&nbsp;Keke Sun ,&nbsp;Zeyu Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100804","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100804","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The challenges associated with achieving high Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance have become increasingly critical globally, leading to resource allocation issues, compliance complexities, and potential short-term disruptions in innovation activities, particularly within technology-intensive sectors. Despite the growing importance of ESG initiatives, limited studies in management have explored how ESG performance impacts different dimensions of firm innovation. This study investigates how ESG performance influences ambidextrous innovation, namely exploratory and exploitative innovation, among Chinese-listed new energy vehicle companies from 2009 to 2021. The findings reveal a U-shaped relationship, suggesting that initial ESG investments may hinder innovation owing to resource diversion and regulatory pressures, while sustained ESG efforts eventually lead to significant innovation gains. Government subsidies and market competition act as moderating factors in this relationship. Although both factors generally support innovation, their misalignment with ESG strategies may diminish their positive influence. Moreover, we identify financial constraints and risk propensity as mediating mechanisms. Enhanced ESG performance reduces financing barriers and encourages firms to undertake innovation-related risks. These findings offer important insights for policymakers and managers seeking to align ESG practices with innovation objectives, thereby contributing to more sustainable and balanced innovation outcomes in China and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100804"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crafting open innovation for collaboration: Insights into multi-actor dynamics for the circular economy transformation","authors":"Merle Ibach,&nbsp;Kimberly Tatum,&nbsp;Jörg Knieling","doi":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100799","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jik.2025.100799","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The European Union’s circular economy (CE) policy aims to foster closed-loop systems that reduce waste and resource use, yet its practical implementation remains limited. Open innovation (OI)—the cross-organizational sharing of knowledge and collaborative problem-solving—offers a promising but underexplored pathway to accelerate circular economy transformation, particularly by enabling collaboration among diverse actors. This study addresses a critical research gap by examining how OI instruments mobilize multi-actor collaboration for circular economy goals, using an in-depth case study of Fab City Hamburg (FCH)—a pioneering initiative combining OI and CE principles to promote local, open, and circular production. Drawing on qualitative analysis of two circular open labs within FCH and integrating insights from transition theory with the small wins governance framework, we offer original insights into the dynamics of open innovation for circular economy transformation. Our findings reveal that open innovation instruments foster spreading and partial deepening of circular practices by supporting learning, experimentation, and community-building. However, significant barriers to broadening collaborations persist, including conflicting understandings of openness and circularity, organizational asymmetries, and unstable funding structures. The study contributes to the literature on CE and OI by offering a multi-actor, governance-oriented perspective on collaborative circular innovation. We highlight both synergies and frictions in applying OI to CE contexts and provide practical guidance for policymakers, intermediaries, and practitioners seeking to foster collaborative innovation and overcome barriers in circular economy transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46792,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Innovation & Knowledge","volume":"10 5","pages":"Article 100799"},"PeriodicalIF":15.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}