Cooperative Network Embedding, Knowledge Network Structure and Technological Catch-Up of Latecomers: A Technical Standards Alliance Perspective

Abstract

Taking the technical standards alliance (TSA) of strategic emerging industries as the sample, including China’s new energy vehicles, new-generation information technology, new materials, and high-end equipment manufacturing, the article empirically verified the impact of the external cooperation network and internal knowledge network of late-developing enterprises on their dual catch-up. The results showed that the appropriate centrality of the cooperative network promotes the exploitative catch-up and exploratory catch-up of late-developing enterprises. However, the excessive centrality blocked its exploratory catch-up. The structural hole of the cooperation network was conducive to the exploratory catch-up of late-developing enterprises, but not to their exploitative catch-up. The comprehensive cohesiveness of the knowledge network strengthened the positive impact of the centrality of the cooperation network on exploitative catch-up of late-developing enterprises, damaging the negative impact of the structural hole of the cooperation network on exploitative catch-up. The partial cohesiveness of the knowledge network positively adjusted the centrality of the cooperative network, the relationship between the structural hole and exploratory catch-up, and negatively adjusted the relationship between the centrality of the network and exploitative catch-up. By analyzing the differential impact of the dual network on two types of technology catch-up strategies of late-developing enterprises, the article deepened the theory of organizational duality. Meanwhile, the article contained innovation activities of late-developing enterprises in the TSA, which provided a new theoretical perspective and empirical basis for the combination of standardization of cooperation and innovation management theory.