DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING RD CAPABILITY FOR PRODUCT INNOVATION IN EMERGING ECONOMIES: ANTECEDENTS AND STRATEGIC CONTINGENCIES

摘要

Since the fierce pressures of fast changing technology that characterize emerging economies such as China, firms largely depend on building research and development (R&D) capability to stay competitive (Guan, Yam, Tang, & Lau, 2009). In the face of both domestic and global competition on R&D operations, executives come to recognize the importance of continuously learning new technological knowledge and practices for winning business in this innovation-oriented nation. As a result, R&D capability, serving as one of the primary characteristics that differentiate innovative firms from less innovative ones, is critical for the firms' survival and prosperity in the Chinese competitive environments (Bettis and Hitt 1995; Nerkar and Paruchuri 2005).