Research On The Relationship Between Resource Structure And Innovation Performance Of SMEs

Innovation is the inexhaustible motive force for the development of enterprises and even society,and resources are the basis for carrying out innovative activities.Therefore,the internal relationship between resources and innovation has attracted the strong attention of scholars.At present,the explanation about the impact mechanism of resources on innovation is mostly based on the resource-based view,but it is difficult to explain why the innovation performance of enterprises with similar resource endowments is different.And in this era of increasingly fierce resource competition,almost all organizations face a certain degree of limited resources.In particular,SMEs,as a new force in China's innovation activities,can hardly possess or acquire valuable resources from the perspective of resource-based perspective,but often achieve excellent innovation output.The resource-based view is difficult to explain the problem of innovation output in this resource dilemma.Therefore,it is necessary to make adjustments.How to effectively allocate the limited resources and establish a reasonable resource structure from the perspective of innovation should become an important topic for scholars to pay attention to and study.In addition,SMEs rely more on knowledge resources,knowledge workers and innovative managers due to limited material resources.As a collection of internal and external knowledge,organizational memory obviously affects the selection of strategies such as resource allocation.Based on the perspective of organizational memory,this study classifies and analyzes the impact mechanism of resource structure on SMEs*innovation performance,which is specific to sub-category and portfolio level.The conclusions and opinions mainly include:(1)There is a positive correlation and an inverted U-shaped correlation between resource slack,resource shortage and innovation performance of SMEs,and they can strengthen each other's innovative role.The sufficient resources of large enterprises can support large-scale and complex R&D projects,and of course,it is easy to generate many agency problems.Starting from different theories such as organizational behavior theory and principal-agent theory,resource surplus plays a completely different innovative role in large enterprises.SMEs are limited by the small scale of resources,but they benefit significantly from the support of resources sur:plus for free exploration.Resource shortage is often seen as a negative resource state.This study believes and proves that it is not the opposite of surplus.The inhibitory effect of moderate shortage on the most ideal and common path can introduce SMEs into new behavioral paths.All these indicate that SMEs are not able to actively seek change when resources are just enough or their possession and demand remain at normal levels,but it will lead SMEs to reduce their innovation motivation and output.Therefore,it is necessary to actively maintain the state of resource surplus or shortage.(2)Unabsorbed resources can only realize their value by facing specific applications and settling to specific situations.The empirical analysis of the absorbed/unabsorbed resource dimension in this study shows that those SMEs pursuing innovation should deposit resources to maintain the surplus of absorbed resources and the moderate lack of unabsorbed resources.While supporting the differences between the two types of resources,and it also shows the necessity and practical feasibility of resource structure research.(3)Resources cannot function independently,but need to be combined into a free-flowing and autonomous resource unit.SMEs often lack formal and detailed rules,and the division of powers and responsibilities to guide and standardize employee activities.Therefore,they rely more on the initiative of resource units to maintain operations.Resource units can exist inside or outside the enterprise,and there are also differences in scale and interconnection.The resource structure of this dimension can also be used to explain the innovation and growth performance of the enterprise.This study confirms that there is a positive correlation between internal resource units agglomeration,loose external resource units and SME innovation performance,and both can strengthen each other's role.With the advancement of management practices such as borderless management,resource units not only constitute the micro-main body of corporate behavior,but also bear and reflect the dynamic capabilities of the enterprise as a whole,as well as the ability to innovate and grow.They act independently and freely.SMEs cannot and do not need to intervene in them,but they can influence their scale and interrelation to adjust the resource structure and then achieve innovation and growth.For example,from the perspective of innovation,SMEs should concentrate their limited resources to construct their own advantages and positions in a single or a small number of market segments,and flexibly implement external cooperation according to innovation needs.(4)SMEs usually lack large enterprise norms,systematic R&D and knowledge management systems.Their R&D process tends to rely on the experience accumulated by executives(especially entrepreneurs),key technology employees,R&D teams and external partners.These tacit knowledge often exist in the form of memory in the organization.This study confirms that organizational memory with SMEs' characteristics also plays a crucial role in resource allocation and innovation realization.These results provide a direction for SMEs to work hard.In summary,this study confirms that from the perspective of innovation performance improvement,SMEs should maintain a resource structure with sufficient absorbed resources and moderately scarce unabsorbed resources,as well as the resource structure with internal resource units agglomeration and loose external resource units.The conclusions are expected to provide a direct reference for SMEs'related resource allocation strategy decision-making,which is very consistent with the current enterprise reality and the theme of the times.And these are also an extension and promotion of the theory and research perspective of resource-based view.