Determinants Of Knowledge Seeking Strategy

With the era of knowledge economy, knowledge searching has become an increasingly important technology innovation activity. However, in previous studies, scholars have focused on the impact of knowledge searching on innovation performance. The determinants of knowledge searching are lack of attention. In addition, scholars paid no attention on the contrast of product and process innovation.This study is based on numerous literatures. The data comes from IDRC project, mainly medium manufacturing enterprises in China. We construct the external knowledge searching strategy model.Using factor analysis, multiple linear regressions, Tobit regression analysis, the concept of the proposed model is tested. And we use Chow-test to test the differences of product and process innovation. The study draws some conclusions as follows:In product innovation, cost leadership strategy and the search breadth and depth was negatively correlated; technical competence was positively correlated with search depth; the extent of organizational change and the search breadth and depth were positively correlated. In the process of innovation, cost leadership strategy and the search breadth and depth were negatively correlated; technical capabilities and the search depth was positively correlated; organizational change, the degree of search breadth and depth were positively correlated; external environment dynamic and search depth was positively correlated. Chow test results show that product innovation and process innovation in the external knowledge search strategies were significantly different.The control variables, firm size and the search breadth of process innovation is negatively correlated; the firm size and the search depth of product innovation is negatively correlated. Export share and search breadth of product innovation is negatively correlated; export share is negatively related to the search depth of process innovation.