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Close to star organizations promotes exploratory innovation for latecomers

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  • Bao, Yuting
  • Pan, Tianxing

Abstract

Star organizations, leading innovators with significant influence in their industries, play a critical role in shaping knowledge diffusion and innovation. While existing studies have examined the role of proximity between partners, limited attention has been paid to the impact of geographic, social, and technological distances from star organizations. Addressing this gap, this study uses the patent records from 23,671 organizations across 35 technology fields, to explore how these distances affect exploratory innovation and how entry time moderates these effects. The findings reveal that greater distances from star organizations hinder exploratory innovation, with latecomers relying more heavily on star organizations than early entrants. This research advances understanding of organizational learning and innovation by uncovering the nuanced roles of star organizations in innovation networks, and offers practical insights for managers and policymakers to foster innovation ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Bao, Yuting & Pan, Tianxing, 2025. "Close to star organizations promotes exploratory innovation for latecomers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:201:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325005764
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115753
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