Enhancing organisational resilience of ‘Gazelle enterprises’ through network embeddedness and knowledge search: the moderating effect of digital transformation

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study assesses the influence of network embeddedness (NE) on the organizational resilience (OR) of Gazelle enterprises. NE presents an efficacious approach for these enterprises to access external knowledge and bolster their resilience. The study classifies NE into two variants: relational embeddedness (RE) and structural embeddedness (SE), subsequently analyzing their distinct impacts on the OR of Gazelle enterprises. In addition, the study delves into the intervening role of knowledge search (KS) and the moderating influence of digital transformation (DT) within the aforementioned relationships. Drawing upon survey data from 295 Chinese Gazelle enterprises, our empirical findings reveal that: (1) RE and SE exert positive influences on the OR of Gazelle enterprises; (2) KS partially mediates the associations between RE, SE, and OR of Gazelle enterprises; (3) DT positively moderates the relationships between RE, SE, and the OR of Gazelle enterprises. This study enhances understanding of the NE-OR relationship in Gazelle enterprises, shedding light on the mediational mechanisms underlying NE and defining the reason underlying that certain Gazelle enterprises capitalise more effectively on NE activities to augment their OR compared to others.