The Impact of Digital Innovation Capability on the Digital Innovation Performance of Science and Technology-Based SMEs: Mediating Effect of Open Innovation
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Abstract
In the digital economy era, the construction of digital innovation capability has become a crucial factor for firms to achieve a sustained competitive advantage. The innovation paradigm has also shifted from closed innovation to open innovation, involving collaboration between firms and external entities. This study aimed to study: 1) the current status of digital innovation capability, open innovation, and digital innovation performance of science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); 2) the impact of digital innovation capability on digital innovation performance; and 3) the mediating role of open innovation in this relationship. The sample consisted of science and technology-based SMEs in Shanxi Province, China, and was selected through stratified random sampling. Questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale were disseminated to firm managers via online platforms for data collection, and a total of 400 valid questionnaires were collected. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that: 1) reorganization innovation capability had the highest mean value (3.86), followed by digital agility capability (3.77) and digital foundational capability (3.72); 2) all three dimensions of digital innovation capability positively influenced digital innovation performance, with digital agility capability having the most significant impact (β=0.25); 3) open innovation significantly mediated the relationships between all dimensions of digital innovation capability and digital innovation performance, with mediating effect values of 0.053, 0.079, and 0.042, respectively. These findings have both theoretical and practical significance for guiding science and technology-based SMEs in China to implement digital innovation.
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