Research On The Formation Mechanism Of Generative Capability From The Perspective Of Knowledge Integration

Relying on the Internet,it has become a trend for latecomers to achieve catch-up through product iterative development.The product iterative development model has the advantages of short cycle,high efficiency,and low cost.The vigorous development of Internet technology provides technical support for latecomers to acquire external technical knowledge and enrich and update their knowledge base.This research relies on the background of the Internet to build a model for the mechanism of the formation of generative capability from the perspective of knowledge integration.This model reveals the mechanism of innovation catch-up by latecomers from the microscopic level of product-innovation.And this study enriches the research on the catch-up of latecomers and can provide suggestions for enterprises how to catch up with earlier-developing firms and provide references for the government to formulate relevant policies.Firstly,this research builds a model based on case studies,and then uses empirical research to verify whether the model is established.This study uses the grounded theory approach to encode data,based on in-depth interview data and second-hand data of eight Chinese latecomer firms,this research finds latecomer firms' catch – up pattern and builds a model for the formation of the generative capability.The results show that customer and competitor orientation is an important cause of generative capability.Market fluctuation and technological fluctuation are contextual factors in the forming process of generative capability.Knowledge integration is an intermediary adjustment,and generative capability and trial and error accumulation is behaviors.Innovation performance is a result.Secondly based on the results of the case study,this study continued to collect questionnaires from 212 latecomer companies to verify the model for the formation mechanism of generative capability.The empirical results show that there is a significant positive relationship between customer and competitor orientation and generative capability.Technology and market fluctuations can negatively adjust the relationship between customer orientation and generative capability,and can positively adjust the relationship between competitor orientation and generative capability;knowledge integration has an intermediary role and can mediate partly the relationship between customer orientation and generative capability,and mediate fully the relationship between competitor orientation and generative capability;generative capability can positively influence the innovative performance of firms.Finally,according to the case and empirical results,this study puts forward suggestions for improving generative capability of latecomer firms from four aspects: knowledge integration,generative capability,innovation performance,and technology and market fluctuation.Latecomers should pay attention to their customers and competitors,focus on knowledge integration,continue to try and accumulate,and actively respond to market and technological fluctuations,thus transforming generative capability into innovative performance of firms.