Use of automakers' technological knowledge in component suppliers' innovations: Different effects in different situations

作者：Lin, Yan^*; Chen, Yan

来源：Innovation-Management Policy & Practice, 2014, 16(1): 126-143.

DOI：10.5172/impp.2014.16.1.126

• use of knowledge
• explorative invention
• exploitative invention
• knowledge-creating capability
• patent data
• automotive industry

Automakers have been emphasized as an important source of technological knowledge for vehicle parts suppliers. However, the situations in which such technological knowledge can be applied more effectively are unclear. Thus, theoretical instructions for suppliers' strategic decisions on the use of this important knowledge in different situations are lacking. To reveal the different effects of suppliers' use of automakers' technological knowledge in different situations, this paper differentiates the situations based on two criteria: (1) the nature of the inventions (i.e., exploitation and exploration) and (2) the level of the suppliers' knowledge-creating capability. Using patents from 47 suppliers of the US automobile manufacturing industry as the sample, we explored the characteristics of using automakers' technological knowledge in vehicle parts suppliers' inventions in different situations. Automakers' technological knowledge is most useful in exploitative inventions or for suppliers with a lower level of creation capability. This finding implies that automakers' knowledge is a preliminary element in suppliers' inventions.

• 出版日期2014-4
• 单位大连海事大学