Collaborative innovation and knowledge spillovers in open innovation ecosystems: Exploring the roles of network stability and technological niche

To cope with environmental uncertainty and competitive challenges, an increasing number of firms are shifting away from traditional closed innovation practices to actively explore collaborative innovation in open innovation ecosystems (OIEs). While previous research has mainly focused on collaborative innovation in traditional arrangements, little is known about how focal firms in OIEs adopt collaborative innovation to promote knowledge spillovers. To address this research gap, we draw on the knowledge-based view (KBV) and innovation ecosystem theory and propose a new conceptual model for understanding the internal mechanisms and contextual conditions in the relationship between a focal firm's collaborative innovation in OIEs and knowledge spillovers. Using the data of 241 Chinese firms in the information and communication technology industry, we find that a focal firm's collaborative innovation in OIEs has a positive effect on its knowledge spillovers and that this relationship is mediated by network stability. We also find that technological niche depth and technological niche diversity strengthen such relationship. Our findings not only provide new empirically supported insights on how and when collaborative innovation in the unique context of OIEs affects knowledge spillovers but also offer important managerial implications for firms to strategically embed themselves within OIEs to leverage collaboration practices and access knowledge resource value.