Negative performance feedback and firm cooperation: How multiple upward social comparisons affect firm cooperative R&D

David Diwei Lv, Hang Zhu, Weihong Chen and Hailin Lan

Journal of Business Research, 2021, vol. 132, issue C, 872-883

Abstract: This paper studies the impact of inconsistencies in upward social comparisons on a firm's cooperative R&D. We find that firms with inconsistent industrial and regional upward social comparison results show higher levels of cooperative R&D intensity than those with consistent results. Furthermore, in facing inconsistency, firms with a “high industrial upward social comparison gap-low regional upward social comparison gap” combination show higher levels of cooperative R&D intensity than those with a “low industrial upward social comparison gap-high regional upward social comparison gap” combination. These results indicate that inconsistent social comparison results can promote the openness of a firm's R&D. In cases of inconsistency, better regional comparison results can help a firm narrow its industrial upward social comparison gap in an open and innovative way. The above findings provide insights for policymakers committed to guiding and promoting openness in corporate innovation.

Keywords: Social comparison; Cooperative R&D; Behavioral theory of the firm; Inconsistency; Region (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:132:y:2021:i:c:p:872-883

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.018

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