Choice in Paradox: How to Break through the Routines Replication Dilemma to Achieve Innovation Catalysts?

Abstract

Abstract: The routines replication has gradually become a key part of collaborative innovation in technological innovation network. However, latecomers that simply adopt the routine template of leading enterprises will inevitably fall into the replication dilemma. In order to solve this replication dilemma, this paper selects four enterprises to conduct a multi-case comparison research based on the paradox management theory, and explores the paradoxical choices in the process of routines replication and innovation catalysts. The research finds that: in order to realize the value co-creation among the organizations of technological innovation network, the conventional routines replication and flexible routines replication are usually used for value-added adjustment, and their strategic responses are quite different. The routines replication has different ego-network selection preference, closed-specialization network is the optimal network configuration for conventional routines replication, and open-diverse network is the optimal network configuration for flexible routines replication. The generations of structural holes, closing of structural holes, experiential learning and vicarious learning create the dynamic matching with network configurations, which amplify the effect of the optimal configurations of closed-specialization network and open-diverse network, and transform closed-diverse and open-specialization networks to the optimal ego-network configurations. The matching of joint dependence and selective bricolage are the network behavior of conventional routines replication, the matching of asymmetric dependence and parallel bricolage are the network behavior of flexible routines replication. They provide two different paths to realize the innovation catalysts in innovation ecosystem. The conclusion has important theoretical and practical significance for the latecomers to catch-up and construct the innovation ecosystem in China.

Key words: innovation catalysts, replication dilemma, routines replication, paradox management, case study

Wei Long, Dang Xinghua, Yan Hai, Li Lixu. Choice in Paradox: How to Break through the Routines Replication Dilemma to Achieve Innovation Catalysts?[J]. Management Review, 2025, 37(2): 275-288.

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