Antecedents To Knowledge Search Behaviors Of Biomedical Firms

Antecedents to firm’s distant or exploratory search are an irreplaceable component in knowledge search studies. Many topics in this domain still remain unresolved. Thus further discussion and varification on the theoretical framework as well as some key factors of distant-search-antecedents are of vital importance. Further, existing studies have failed to fully decode the exterior environmental antecedents. Viewing this, the study presents the analytical framework regarding potential moderating effects (from both external market associated factors as well as technological regimes), in-depth analysis as well as statistical validation on the relationship between internal resources&capabilities and degree of distant search with consideration on moderating effects is also presented in the research.Statistical studies are carried out using balanced panel data (containing both financial and patent behavior information) collected from North American biomedical firms (588observations in total). The study finds that:absorbed slack resources can enhance the degree of the firms’distant search; market competition level positively moderates the relationship between R&D internsity, absorbed, unabsorbed slack resources and degree of distant search; market growth rate positively moderates the relationship between potential slack resources and distant search degree; technological cumulativeness will also positively moderate the relationship between absorbed slack and distant search degree; while technological appropriability negatively moderates (and even reverses) the initially positive relationships between absorbed slack, unabsorbed slack and the degree of firm’s distant search.