Skip to main content
Log in

Does inertia matter for parts manufacturers’ innovation?

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study investigates parts manufacturers’ innovative behavior from the population ecology perspective. Specifically, this paper proposes that firm level inertia and network level inertia matter in parts manufacturer’s innovation. Using data from auto parts manufacturers, we test four hypotheses, and the results show that firm level inertia indicated by age does not matter, while firm’s innovative inertia matters in parts manufacturers’ innovation. At the same time, we find that cluster can promote general parts firms’ innovation, but they will harm the innovative firms’ innovative behavior. These results contribute to our understanding of parts manufacturer’s innovation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chandrashekaran, M., Mehta, R., Chandrashekaran, R., & Grewal, R. (1999). Market motives, distinctive capabilities, and domestic inertia: A hybrid model of innovation generation. Journal of Marketing Research, 52, 95–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, S. B., Lee, S. H., & Williams, C. (2011). Ownership and firm innovation in a transition economy: Evidence from China. Research Policy, 40, 441–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, W. M., & Levinthal, D. A. (1990). Absorptive capacity: a new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1, 128–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K. M., & Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: What are they? Strategic Management Journal, 21(10–11), 1105–1121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Filatotchev, I., Liu, X., Lu, J., & Wright, M. (2011). Knowledge spillovers through human mobility across national borders: Evidence from Zhongguancun Science Park in China. Research Policy, 40, 453–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flyer, F., & Shaver, J. M. (2003). Location choices under agglomeration externalities and strategic interaction. Advances in Strategic Management, 20, 193–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Genus, A. & Jha, P. (2012). The role of inertia in explanations of project performance: a framework and evidence from project-based organizations. International Journal of Project Management, 30, 117–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, C. G. (2005). Unbundling the structure of inertia: Resource versus routine rigidity. Academy of Management Journal, 5, 741–763.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greve, H. R. (1998). Performance, aspirations, and risky organizational change. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 55–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greve, H. R. (2003). A behavioral theory of R&D expenditures and innovation: Evidence from shipbuilding. Academy of Management Journal, 46, 685–702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, M. T. (2005). Ecologies of organizations: Diversity and identity. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 1, 51–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, M. T., & Freeman, J. (1977). The population ecology of organizations. American Journal of Sociology, 5, 929–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, M. T., & Freeman, J. (1984). Structural inertia and organizational change. American Sociological Review, 2, 149–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, R. M., & Clark, K. B. (1990). Architectural innovation: The reconfiguration of existing product technologies and the failure of established firms. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35, 9–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, A. G. (2010). Propensity to patent, competition and China’s foreign patenting surge. Research Policy, 39, 985–993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, A. G., & Jefferson, G. H. (2009). A great wall of patents: What is behind China’s recent patent explosion? Journal of Development Economics, 90, 57–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huff, J. O., Huff, A. S., & Thomas, H. (1992). Strategic renewal and the interaction of cumulative stress and inertia. Strategic Management Journal, 13, 55–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, T., Oh, H., & Swaminathan, A. (2006). Framing interorganizational network change: A network inertia perspective. Academy of Management Review, 31, 704–720.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levinthal, D. (1992). Surviving Schumpeterian environments: An evolutionary perspective. Industrial and Corporate Change, 1, 427–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liao, S., Fei, W., & Liu, C. (2008). Relationships between knowledge inertia, organizational learning and organization innovation. Technovation, 28, 183–195.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G. (1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2, 71–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G., & Simon, H. A. (1958). Organizations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, A. (1920). Principles of economics (8th ed.). Macmillan: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mokyr, J. (1992). Technological inertia in economic history. Journal of Economic History, 52, 325–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narula, R. (2002). Innovation systems and ‘inertia’ in R&D location: Norwegian firms and the role of systemic lock-in. Research Policy, 31, 795–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (2000). Location, competition and economic development: Local clusters in a global economy. Economic Development Quarterly, 14(1), 15–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schreyogg, G., & Kliesch-Eberl, M. (2007). How dynamic can organizational capabilities be? Towards a dual-process model of capability dynamization. Strategic Management Journal, 28, 913–933.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, Y. (2003). Determinants of foreign patents in China. World Patent Information, 25, 27–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallman, S., Jenkins, M., Henry, N., & Pinch, S. (2004). Knowledge, clusters, and competitive advantage. Academy of Management Review, 29(2), 258–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tushman, M. L., & Anderson, P. (1986). Technological discontinuities and organizational environments. Administrative Science Quarterly, 3, 439–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tushman, M. L., & O’Reilly, C. (1996). Ambidextrous or organizations: Managing evolutionary and revolutionary change. California Management Review, 38, 8–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The paper is a stage result of the project of Financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71172184 and No. 70872088) and is also supported by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (No. 20100201110064). The authors are grateful to the Editor and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments, suggestions and help.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhenlei Huang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wu, S., Huang, Z. & Zhong, W. Does inertia matter for parts manufacturers’ innovation?. Scientometrics 101, 705–716 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-1191-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-1191-5

Keywords

JEL Classification

Navigation