Research on the Impact of Complementary Assets and Platform Leadership on Ambidextrous Innovation: Moderating Effect of Environmental Complexity

Abstract

Abstract: Platform companies changed the linear logic of traditional enterprises and conduct cross-border integration to build an open innovation ecosystem. However, the mechanism of how the platform enterprises use complementary assets to promote the ambidextrous innovation has not yet been clearly explored. Therefore, this paper explores the relationships of complementary assets, platform leadership, ambidextrous innovation and environmental complexity. It is found that common complementary assets and special complementary assets in the ecosystem positively affect platform leadership, exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation. Platform leadership positively affects exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation. Platform leadership plays a mediating role between complementary assets and ambidextrous innovation. Environmental complexity plays a moderating effect role not only in the relationship between platform leadership and exploitative innovation but also in the relationship between special complementary assets and exploitative innovation. This study explains how platform firms use complementary assets to promote the platform leadership and ambidextrous innovation, and analyzes the moderating effect of environmental complexity. This research further enriches the platform firm theory and innovation ecosystem and provides the relevant guidance for platform enterprises to achieve sustainable and innovative development.

Key words: platform firm, complementary assets, platform leadership, ambidextrous innovation, environmental complexity

Zhang Yi, Liu Renhuai. Research on the Impact of Complementary Assets and Platform Leadership on Ambidextrous Innovation: Moderating Effect of Environmental Complexity[J]. Management Review, 2020, 32(10): 158-169.

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