The impact of imitation strategy and R&D resources on incremental and radical innovation: evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms

Jie Wu (), Kathryn Rudie Harrigan (), Siah Hwee Ang () and Zefu Wu ()
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Jie Wu: University of Macau
Kathryn Rudie Harrigan: Columbia University
Siah Hwee Ang: Victoria University of Wellington
Zefu Wu: City University of Macau

The Journal of Technology Transfer, 2019, vol. 44, issue 1, No 10, 210-230

Abstract: Abstract This study proposes and tests a theoretical framework that relates a firm’s imitation strategy and its interaction with R&D resources to incremental and radical innovation. The analysis of a panel dataset of 1381 Chinese manufacturing firms in the period 2008–2014 shows that imitation strategy is positively related to incremental innovation but has an inverted U-shaped relationship with radical innovation. More interestingly, R&D resources serve as a critical boundary condition of the imitation strategy–innovation link—they strengthen the link between imitation strategy and incremental innovation but weaken the link between imitation strategy and radical innovation.

Keywords: Imitation strategy; Incremental innovation; Radical innovation; R&D resources; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10961-017-9621-9

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