How does intelligent manufacturing affects enterprise innovation? The mediating role of organizational learning

Abstract

Intelligent manufacturing is driven by innovation, and it is also the facilitator and activator of innovation. Yang et al. (2020) find that intelligent manufacturing has a significant promoting effect on enterprise innovation, but the effect mechanism is still a black box to be opened. In terms of technology potential, intelligent manufacturing promotes enterprise innovation through digital-enabled knowledge absorptive capability, networked-enabled knowledge recombination capability, and intelligent-enabled knowledge creation capability, but this role cannot be separated from the support of organizational learning. In order to investigate the role of organizational learning in intelligent manufacturing and enterprise innovation, this study uses the public data of listed enterprises in China's manufacturing industry to conduct research using continuous time difference-in-differences method. The results show that intelligent manufacturing can promote both innovation input and innovation output of enterprises. Further mechanism research from the perspective of organizational learning, finds that intelligent manufacturing promotes organizational learning by improving organizational learning environment, learner quality and organizational learning investment, and thus promotes enterprise innovation.