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The influence of leadership on product and process innovations in China: the contingent role of knowledge acquisition capability

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Building upon upper echelon theory and a dynamic capability perspective, this study investigates the relative effectiveness of two types of leadership on product and process innovations in emerging economies. The authors found that in China transformational-charismatic (TC) leadership has a stronger effect on product innovation, while transactional leadership has a stronger effect on process innovation. The authors further study the boundary conditions of leadership and empirically examine the contingent effects of organizational level capability on the relationships between leadership and innovation. The moderating effects are intriguing: knowledge acquisition capability strengthens the effect of TC leadership on process innovation and that of transactional leadership on product innovation. However, knowledge acquisition capability attenuates the positive relationship between TC leadership and product innovation as well as the positive relationship between transactional leadership and process innovation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)18-29
Number of pages12
JournalIndustrial Marketing Management
Volume50
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Keywords

  • Knowledge acquisition capability
  • Process innovation
  • Product innovation
  • Transactional leadership
  • Transformational-charismatic leadership

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