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

摘要： 本文基于知识基础观理论和吸收能力理论,以两个异质性制造企业组成的寡头竞争市场为研究对象,参考经典研发竞争AJ模型和非对称研发模型,建立考虑IT基础设施作用的外部知识对企业流程创新影响的博弈模型。研究表明,对于异质性企业来说,成本和IT基础设施投入占优的企业通过流程创新将拥有更大的市场份额,且企业通过合作创新方式引入的外部知识量也随着初始生产成本差异和IT基础设施投入的变化而改变,总体来说,企业异质性是企业流程创新竞争不平衡性的重要原因。考虑IT基础设施作用的情况下,企业引入外部知识进行流程创新对均衡产量具有正向影响,对均衡利润的影响存在阈值,呈现先增加后降低的趋势。由于溢出效应的存在,两个企业的均衡利润随领先企业的IT基础设施投入的增加而增加,但领先企业的均衡利润随IT基础设施投入的增加幅度更大,且领先企业的均衡利润占优。本文进一步提出了加强IT基础设施建设,促进外部知识利用,提升企业流程创新能力的管理启示。

关键词: 外部知识, IT基础设施, 流程创新, 博弈论