Contingencies in collaborative innovation: matching organisational learning with strategic orientation and environmental munificence

Abstract

Matching organisational learning with internal and external contingency factors is important for firms in emerging economies in order to improve their collaborative innovation. This study investigates the fit, in collaborative innovation, between: 1) a firm’s organisational learning; 2) its strategic orientation and the environmental munificence. Using a sample of 136 Chinese firms that engage in R&D collaboration, we examine the fit effects of organisational learning (exploratory learning and exploitative learning) and the contingency factors (strategic orientation and environmental munificence) on collaborative innovation performance, and find that exploratory learning coupled with resource-driven strategic orientation and high environmental munificence enhances collaborative innovation performance, while exploitative learning coupled with opportunity-driven strategic orientation and low environmental munificence enhances collaborative innovation performance.