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External Knowledge Search Strategies in China's Technology Ventures: The Role of Managerial Interpretations and Ties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Jingjiang Liu ,
Lu Chen  and
Wiboon Kittilaksanawong
Jingjiang Liu
Affiliation:
Zhejiang University, China
Lu Chen
Affiliation:
Zhejiang University, China
Wiboon Kittilaksanawong
Affiliation:
Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Japan
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Abstract

Drawing on the threat-rigidity hypothesis, we examine how managerial opportunity and threat interpretations of external environments affect a technology venture's choice of external knowledge search strategies in an emerging market. Results from a sample of 141 technology ventures in China reveal that opportunity interpretation directly and positively influences both the breadth and depth of external search, whereas threat interpretation directly and negatively influences only external search depth. Furthermore, managerial ties strengthen the positive relationship between opportunity interpretation and external search breadth but weaken the positive relationship on external search depth. Managerial ties weaken the negative relationship between threat interpretation and external search breadth but strengthen the negative relationship on external search depth. Implications for both research and practice are offered.

Keywords

external knowledge searchmanagerial interpretationsmanagerial tiessearch breadthsearch depth外部知识搜索管理者解释管理者纽带搜索广度捜索深度
Type
Special Issue Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 9 , Issue 3: Special Issue Knowledge Search, Spillovers, and Creation in Emerging Markets , November 2013 , pp. 437 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2013

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