Knowledge Distribution among External and Internal Cooperative Networks and Organizational Ambidexterity: Evidence from Chinese Innovative Firms

Abstract

Abstract: Ambidexterity refers to the firm engaging in both exploratory learning and exploitative learning, and it is a key element in order to achieve both short-term performance and long-term performance. Due to the fact that knowledge distribution among cooperators affects the firms' accessed external knowledge, and knowledge distribution among employees affects the absorption of external knowledge, knowledge distribution should affect firms' ambidexterity. This study introduces the two-mode network analysis method to present the characteristics of knowledge distribution, and explores the influence of knowledge distribution on firms' ambidexterity. It points out that the broadness and uneven knowledge distribution among cooperators will influence firms accessed external knowledge. Meanwhile, the heterogeneous and overlapping knowledge distribution among employees within the firm will influence firm's ability to absorb external knowledge. The results based on 134,767 patent data applied by 29 Chinese innovative firms in the period of 2000 to 2016 show that the broadness and uneven knowledge distribution among cooperators both positively affect firms' ambidexterity. Furthermore, the heterogeneous knowledge distribution among employees positively moderates the above relationships. The overlapping knowledge distribution among employees negatively moderated the broadness of knowledge distribution among firm cooperators and firms' ambidexterity. The findings have important implications for firms' internal and external knowledge layout and R&D management.

Key words: ambidexterity, knowledge distribution, knowledge heterogeneity, two-mode cooperative network

Tang Chaoying, Liu Li, Li Meizhi. Knowledge Distribution among External and Internal Cooperative Networks and Organizational Ambidexterity: Evidence from Chinese Innovative Firms[J]. Management Review, 2020, 32(6): 82-92.

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