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Previous studies have shown that the application of information technology (IT) can help break through the innovation boundaries of firms and has undoubtedly become a key enabler of collaborative innovation. These studies, however, are mainly based on theoretical analysis and case studies, and little is empirically known about the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to empirically explore how firms' IT investments affect the firms' collaborative innovation performance. The authors also examine the moderating roles of the top management team's (TMT's) educational background and absorptive capacity in this relationship.

The authors collected data on 2,097 listed Chinese manufacturing companies and used the ordinary least squares (OLS) method to perform regression analysis. In addition, the authors conducted robustness tests using the propensity score matching (PSM) method and the instrumental variable method.

The results show that the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation is inverted, U-shaped and curvilinear. In addition, the TMT's educational background and absorptive capacity positively moderate the inverted U-shaped relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation.

The study's findings on the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation differ from previous mainstream findings that recognized a positive linear relationship. The authors' findings deepen the understanding of the dual role of IT investments. Moreover, this research helps expand the contingency perspective in IT investments and collaborative innovation research.

The ongoing paradigm shift in the energy sector holds paramount implications for the realization of the sustainable development goals, encompassing critical domains such as resource optimization, environmental stewardship and workforce opportunities. Concurrently, this transformative trajectory within the power sector possesses a dual-edged nature; it may ameliorate certain challenges while accentuating others. In light of the burgeoning research stream on open innovation, this study aims to examine the intricate dynamics of knowledge-based industry-university-research networking, with an overarching objective to elucidate and calibrate the equilibrium of ambidextrous innovation within power systems.

The authors scrutinize the role of different innovation organizations in three innovation models: ambidextrous, exploitative and exploratory, and use a multiobjective decision analysis method-entropy weight TOPSIS. The research was conducted within the sphere of the power industry, and the authors mined data from the widely used PatSnap database.

Results show that the breadth of knowledge search and the strength of an organization’s direct relationships are crucial for ambidextrous innovation, with research institutions having the highest impact. In contrast, for exploitative innovation, depth of knowledge search, the number of R&D patents and the number of innovative products are paramount, with universities playing the most significant role. For exploratory innovation, the depth of knowledge search and the quality of two-mode network relations are vital, with research institutions yielding the best effect. Regional analysis reveals Beijing as the primary hub for ambidextrous and exploratory innovation organizations, while Jiangsu leads for exploitative innovation.

The study offers valuable implications to cope with the dynamic state of ambidextrous innovation performance of the entire power system. In light of the findings, the dynamic state of ambidextrous innovation performance within the power system can be adeptly managed. By emphasizing a balance between exploratory and exploitative strategies, stakeholders are better positioned to respond to evolving challenges and opportunities. Thus, the study offers pivotal guidance to ensure sustained adaptability and growth in the power sector’s innovation landscape.

The primary originality is to extend and refine the theoretical understanding of ambidextrous innovation within power systems. By integrating several theoretical frameworks, including social network theory, knowledge-based theory and resource-based theory, the authors enrich the theoretical landscape of power system ambidextrous innovation. Also, this inclusive examination of two-mode network structures, including the interplay between knowledge and cooperation networks, unveils the intricate interdependencies between these networks and the ambidextrous innovation of power systems. This approach significantly widens the theoretical parameters of innovation network research.

Previous research has analyzed the consequence of network stability; however, little is known about how partner type diversity influence network stability in R&D network. Based on knowledge-based view and social network theory, the purpose of this paper is to unravel the internal mechanisms between partner type diversity and network stability through the mediating role of knowledge recombination in R&D network.

The authors collected an unbalanced panel patent data set from information communication technology industry for the period 1994–2016. Then, the authors tested the different dimensions of partner type variety and its relevance in the R&D network and the mediating role of knowledge recombination through adopting the multiple linear regression.

Results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between partner type diversity (variety and relevance) and network stability, whereas knowledge recombination partially mediate these relationships.

From the perspective of R&D networks, this paper explores that there are the under-researched phenomena the antecedent of network stability through nodal attributes (i.e. partner type variety and partner type relevance). Moreover, this paper empirically examined the mediating role of knowledge recombination in the partner type diversity–network stability relationships. The novel perspective allows focal firm to recognize importance of nodal attributes, which are critical to fully excavate the potential capabilities of cooperating partners in R&D network.

An effective business model (BM) is essential for the success of any company, with sustainable innovation being a critical component of this model. This entails finding creative ways to meet present needs without compromising future generations. In this regard, cooperation can be crucial in developing sustainable innovation. This paper investigates how different types of cooperation impact the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovation for environmental sustainability. In this sense, it intends to compare the effects of cooperation acquired nationally or at a European level.

The methods used are logistic regression for the sample of 87,374 observations from 14 countries of the Eurostat Community Innovation Survey (CIS) database.

The results confirm that cooperation with national or European agents significantly impacts the innovation for environmental sustainability of SMEs; however, not all cooperations have the same significance level. At a national level, cooperation with the suppliers of equipment, materials, components or software, clients or customers and universities or other higher education institutes impacts the innovations for environmental sustainability developed by SMEs. At a European level, cooperation established with other enterprises within your enterprise group, equipment, materials, components or software suppliers, clients or customers and government, public or private research institutes significantly impacts innovations for environmental sustainability.

This study also provides substantial theoretical contributions on the subject and more information about the importance of cooperation by SMEs in developing innovation for environmental sustainability.