WILL KNOWLEDGE FIELD ACTIVITY WITHIN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION ALLIANCES LEAD TO KNOWLEDGE LEAKAGE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE FLOW

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Drawing from the perspective of competitive intelligence, this paper conducted an empirical study to find out whether knowledge field activity (KFA) will lead to knowledge leakage by testing the mediating role of knowledge flow with Structural Equation Modelling, so as to alleviate the concerns associated with enhancing KFA of technological innovation alliances (TIA). Data from 157 high-tech firms that have participated in TIA in China confirmed that a high level of KFA in TIA is more likely to cause both intentional and accidental knowledge leakage (AKL), with the occurrence and impact of AKL being greater than intentional knowledge leakage. In addition, the reason behind the KFA leading to both intentional and AKL lies in its promotion of both tacit and explicit knowledge flows (EKFs) within the alliance. A high level of active tacit and EKFs in a competitive intelligence environment can result in intentional and AKL such that both implicit and EKFs play a fully mediating role in the relationship between KFA and intentional as well as AKL. The results reveal the risk of knowledge and technology leakage lurking in the background of highly active enterprise TIA. A comprehensive intellectual property protection mechanism to ensure the secure flow of technological knowledge within enterprise TIA for policymakers and enterprises is discussed in managerial implications.