关键词: 外部知识, IT基础设施, 流程创新, 博弈论

Abstract: In this paper, we combine the classic R&D competition AJ model and asymmetric R&D model to propose a two-stage non-cooperative game model of the impact of external knowledge on manufacture’s process innovation considering IT infrastructure investment in the oligopolistic competition market composed of two heterogeneous manufacturing enterprises based on knowledge-based view theory. Our findings are that the manufacturer gains higher market share from process innovation with the advantage of cost and IT infrastructure investment for heterogeneous manufacturer, and the equilibrium volume of external knowledge assimilated by the manufacturer changes with the difference of initial cost and IT infrastructure investment. Overall, the manufacture’s heterogeneity has caused imbalance in process innovation competition. The manufacturer’s process innovation has a positive effect on its equilibrium output leveraging external knowledge, and there is a threshold for its impact on the equilibrium profit which increases first and then decreases considering IT infrastructure investment. Due to spillover effects, the equilibrium profits of both manufacturers increase with an increase in IT infrastructure investment of the leading manufacturer, but the equilibrium profit of the leading manufacturer predominates with a relatively higher increase. Finally, we provide some managerial implications to improve the effectiveness of process innovation leveraging external knowledge.

Key words: external knowledge, IT infrastructure, process innovation, game theory