Find the “best evidence” of the relationship between network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance

Abstract

Purpose

In the context of open innovation, more and more enterprises are leveraging innovation networks to drive disruptive innovation performance, but there is no consensus on the relationship between network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance. This paper aims to systematically explore the relationship between them.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper constructs a multi-level network embeddedness model and uses 58 independent studies as samples to explore the relationship between multi-level network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance by meta-analysis.

Findings

First, network embeddedness at the enterprise and regional levels will promote the improvement of disruptive innovation performance. Although industrial relationship embeddedness will promote the improvement of disruptive innovation performance, its structural embeddedness will bring negative effects. Second, in terms of mediating effect, policy-oriented support will promote the relationship between network embeddedness and disruptive innovation performance at the enterprise and industry levels. Compared with large enterprises, small- and medium-sized enterprises will have more advantages in the performance of multi-level network embedding and disruptive innovation performance. Under the subjective performance measurement method, the promotion effect of multi-level network embedding is more prominent.

Research limitations/implications

This study enriches the theoretical research of network embeddedness and disruptive innovation and provides management enlightenment for the network embeddedness strategy of enterprise disruptive innovation. Limited by data samples and article length, future research can further expand literature samples to test the stability of variable relationships and test the moderating effects of more internal and external factors.

Originality/value

First, it constructs a theoretical analysis model of “point-line-surface” multi-level network embedding and disruptive innovation performance of enterprises and expands the theoretical analysis framework of network embedding and disruptive innovation performance. The second is to explore the influence mechanism of multi-level network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance. Third, it deepens the theoretical understanding of the moderating variables of the impact of network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance.

Citation

Shen, N., Zhang, J. and Cao, Y. (2024), "Find the “best evidence” of the relationship between network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance", Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 2456-2481. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-03-2024-0191