Organizational learning, absorptive capacity, imitation and innovation: Empirical analyses of 115 firms across China
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among organizational learning, absorptive capacity, imitation and innovation in the Chinese context.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the organizational learning theory and innovation theory, the paper presents a framework linking organizational learning, absorptive capacity, imitation and innovation. Using a key informant technique, a survey questionnaire was designed and sent to the middle or top management managers of 115 firms located in Peking, People’s Republic (PR) of China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation procedures was applied to test the hypotheses developed in the research.
Findings
The empirical results show that both organizational learning and absorptive capacity have positive impacts on innovation; imitation has a positive impact on absorptive capacity; absorptive capacity mediates the relationship between imitation and innovation.
Practical implications
This study has implications for firms aiming to enhance innovation by organizational learning, absorptive capacity and imitation.
Originality/value
Despite the number of studies concerning organizational learning, absorptive capacity, imitation and innovation, research that encompasses the interrelationships between the four concepts simultaneously remains scarce. The paper provides a framework linking organizational learning, imitation, absorptive capacity and innovation, and it advances the argument that absorptive capacity is an important factor in predicting the Chinese firms’ transition from imitation to innovation.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge the financial support from MOE (Ministry of Education in China) Project of Humanities and Social Sciences (Project No. 09YJC630146).
Citation
Song, Z.-h. (2015), "Organizational learning, absorptive capacity, imitation and innovation: Empirical analyses of 115 firms across China", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 97-113. https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-05-2014-0092
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited