| Previous theoretical studies and simulation studies suggested that knowledge management strategies (i.e. codification and personalization) have important and complicated impact on innovation activities (i.e. exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation), which calls for empirical examination. Meanwhile, concerning the fit among knowledge management strategies, innovation activities, and business strategies, most of the previous literatures are limited to theoretical discussion, lack of empirical research. Moreover, relevant research indicates that, during practical management, firms are blind to some extent in their selection and implementation of a specific KM strategy and innovation activities. These firms need specific and reliable theories as guidance. Considering all of these above, this paper investigates the antecedents and consequences of innovation activities. Two mechanisms are examined:①How knowledge management strategies impact on innovations;②How innovations impact on firm performance. Each mechanism involves direct effects, complementary effects, and moderating effects. Our focus is to analyze the differences of mechanisms among the three business strategy typologies (i.e., Defenders, Prospectors, and Analyzers).A conceptual model together with research hypotheses is established via literature review. Based on interviewing with some firm managers, existing scales in previous literature are selected, after consulting some academic specialists, pre-tests to 19 firm managers and a pilot study upon 113 MBA students, a formal questionnaire is developed. Large sample study obtains 272 valid questionnaires from enterprises distributed in eastern, middle, and western part of China. Validity and reliability of constructs are examined, samples are classified into business strategy typologies with STROBE scales, and hypotheses are tested empirically through regression analysis and structural equation model approaches. Findings show that:①Matching-up relationship exists between knowledge management strategy and business strategy. For Defenders, only codification strategy can significantly promote innovation activities; For Prospectors and Analyzers, only personalized strategy can significantly promote innovation activities.②Matching-up relationship exists between innovation activities and business strategy. For Defenders, only exploratory innovation can significantly promote performance. For Prospectors, only exploitative innovation can significantly promote performance. For Analyzers, both exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation can significantly promote performance.③For different business strategy typologies, each of their relationship path (KM strategy→innovation activities→firm performance) is different. For Defenders, the path is presented in form of'codification strategy→exploratory innovation→firm performance'. For Prospectors, the path is presented in form of'personalization strategy→exploitative innovation→firm performance'. For Analyzers, two paths are presented in form of'personalization strategy→exploratory innovation→firm performance'and form of'personalization strategy→exploitative innovation→firm performance'.④Complementary effect of codification strategy and personalization strategy has no significant effect on innovation activities in the three business strategy typologies.⑤For Defenders, complementary effect of exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation has significant negative effect on firm performance. For both Prospectors and Analyzers, complementary effect of exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation have no significant effect on firm performance.⑥Moderating effects of organizational infrastructure (i.e., organization structure, organization culture, and information technology) on the relationship between knowledge management strategies and innovation activities vary in different business strategy typologies. For Defenders, formalization and IT competency both have negative moderating effect on the relationship between codification strategy and exploratory innovation; centralization, collaboration culture and IT competency separately has positive, positive and negative moderating effect on the relationship between codification strategy and exploitative innovation; centralization and formalization separately has negative and positive moderating effect on the relationship between personalization strategy and exploitative innovation. For Prospectors, centralization has positive moderating effect on the relationship between codification strategy and exploratory innovation; IT competency has negative moderating effect on the relationship between personalization strategy and exploratory innovation. For Analyzers, centralization, formalization and collaboration culture separately has positive, positive and negative moderating effect on the relationship between codification strategy and exploratory innovation; centralization and collaboration culture separately has negative and positive moderating effect on the relationship between personalization strategy and exploratory innovation; centralization and formalization both have positive moderating effect on the relationship between codification strategy and exploitative innovation.⑦Moderating effects of environmental aspects (dynamism and competitiveness) on the relationships between innovation activities and firm performance vary in different business strategy typologies. For Defenders, environmental aspects have no significant moderating effect on the relationships between innovation activities and firm performance. For Prospectors, environmental dynamism and competitiveness separately has positive and negative moderating effect on the relationship between exploratory innovation and firm performance; environmental competitiveness has negative moderating effect on the relationship between exploitative innovation and firm performance. For Analyzers, environmental dynamism and competitiveness separately has negative and positive moderating effect on the relationship between exploratory innovation and firm performance.Based on the discussion about the results of hypotheses testing, integrated models for the two mechanisms, involving direct effects, complementary effects, and moderating effects, are established respectively for Defenders, Prospectors, and Analyzers. |
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