摘要
Abstract
Against the backdrop of fierce technological competition and intensifying constraints of"chokepoints"in global technology chains,how latecomer firms can break away from dependence on technology imports and build independent innovation capabilities has become a critical issue.Existing studies on innovation in latecomer firms have primarily focused on technological catch-up,learning mechanisms,and capability accumulation,while paying insufficient attention to how firms dynamically align internal innovation mechanisms with heterogeneous windows of opportunity(WoO)across different phases.Building on the concept of WoO,this paper examines the evolution mechanisms of innovation capabilities in latecomer firms.Taking Visionox,a representative latecomer firm in China's OLED display industry,as a case,this paper draws on extensive archival materials and in-depth interviews to construct an analytical framework of"WoO-mechanism response-capability leap"and reveals how latecomer firms identify,seize,and amplify different types of WoO to achieve stepwise upgrading of innovation capabilities.
This paper yields three main findings.First,WoO serves as a critical trigger for innovation capability leaps.Technological paradigm shifts,demand-technology coupling,and institutional restructuring each open distinct WoO,characterized by a phased,temporary,and selective nature.Whether the WoO can be transformed into competitive advantages depends on firms'strategic responses.Second,the evolution of independent innovation capabilities in latecomer firms relies on the co-evolution of multiple endogenous mechanisms.In technological WoO,a mission-oriented innovation culture enables firms to maintain strategic commitment under high uncertainty and long R&D cycles,thereby laying a foundation for product specialization capabilities.In demand-technology composite WoO,structured investment mechanisms enhance innovation efficiency and drive the leap toward engineering and systems integration capabilities.In institutional WoO,policy support oriented toward independent controllability and system-level breakthroughs guides firms to transform institutional dividends into key technological breakthroughs and systemic innovation capabilities.Third,the evolution of innovation capabilities in latecomer firms follows a phased trajectory from specialization-based capability formation,to engineering-based upgrading,and ultimately to system-level breakthroughs.Through the temporal recombination of technological elements and the spatial reconfiguration of innovation networks,firms gradually shift their roles from technology adopters to system integrators and ecosystem leaders.In this process,institutional WoO functions primarily as an amplifier rather than a direct driver.
This paper deepens the explanatory power of WoO theory in latecomer contexts from a dynamic interaction perspective.It also offers valuable policy implications for promoting technological self-reliance and strength and enhancing system-level competitiveness in China's emerging and future industries.关键词
后发企业/自主创新能力/机会窗口/知识重组/创新能力演化机制Key words
latecomer firm/independent innovation capability/windows of opportunity/knowledge recombination/evolutionary dynamics of innovation capability分类
管理科学
