Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of lead users (LUs) on innovation success by proposing and validating an integrative model that links LUs, innovation success and knowledge sharing (KS) variables. Design/methodology/approach The authors research is quantitative in nature and data were collected through a survey conducted among 30 information technology Tunisian companies. The authors preliminary analysis was explored using the “SPSS” software and processed through exploratory factor analysis and regression analysis methods. Findings Results showed that LUs who possess advanced skills and valuable knowledge can contribute to enhance new successful innovations, and hence, enable companies to gain short and long-term profits. Besides, the authors confirmed that the impact of LUs on innovation success is mediated by the “KS” behavior. Practical implications An integrative framework that links LUs, innovation success and a third variable called KS is presented to see beyond the intended importance of this type of user regarding the development of new innovations. Originality/value The paper offers new insights to the topic of LUs by emphasizing the role of “KS” variable in strengthening the LUs – innovation success relationship.
Highlights
Unlike previous research studies, which studied the effects of isolated variables with less attention paid to the integrative effects that these variables could have when jointed together, this paper focuses on the interplay between lead users (LUs), knowledge sharing (KS) and innovation success variables
We present our research model based on the LUs variable, which presented in terms of the lead userness (“being ahead of the market” and “having high benefits from innovation”) construct, the KS variable and the innovation success variable
We adapted the hypothesis proposed by Ashok et al (2016) to our paper context and we suggest that KS may serve as a mediator between LUs and innovation success (Figure 2)
Summary
Companies faced big failures to achieve expected benefits from innovations that they follow and this is mainly because of the set of procedures and strategies adopted in the implementation’s stage of innovation (Klein & Knight, 2005). The challenge faced by firms is “how to keep innovations alive” to sustain a competitive advantage. The use of internal sources of knowledge and skills to generate new ideas. Both strategies did not offer satisfactory improvements for companies to innovate. It was found that companies need to involve external parties with innovative sets of knowledge and skills to cope with the challenge they face
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