Is collaborative innovation a double-edged sword for firms? The contingent role of ambidextrous learning and TMT shared vision

Abstract

Previous research has documented the relationship between collaborative innovation and innovation performance, but such studies have presented inconsistent results. Therefore, the first aim of this study is to examine the nonlinear relationship between collaborative innovation and innovation performance. And the second is to provide an organisational learning theory and upper-echelon contingency perspective from which to examine the moderating effects of ambidextrous learning and shared vision of top management teams (TMTs) on this relationship. Using survey data from manufacturing firms located in the Yangtze River Delta region, one of the most populous and highly developed regions in China, we find that collaborative innovation has an inverted U-shaped effect on firms’ innovation performance. Further, we find that the relationship between collaborative innovation and innovation performance is steeper when firms possess high ambidextrous learning and low TMT shared vision. Overall, this work not only enhances our theoretical understanding of how collaborative innovation influences firms’ innovation performance but also provides important managerial implications for manufacturing firms’ collaborative innovation practices.