IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/opmare/v18y2025i2d10.1007_s12063-024-00501-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managing inter-organizational dependencies operation for discovering digital business model innovation in corporate innovation ecosystem

Author

Listed:
  • Fei Zhou

    (Huaqiao University)

  • Na Zhang

    (Huaqiao University)

  • Xue Li

    (Huaqiao University)

  • Chunjia Han

    (Birkbeck, University of London)

  • Brij B. Gupta

    (Asia University)

Abstract

The relevance of innovation ecosystems and digital technologies exerts pressures on the business operations management concerning inter-organizational collaboration and competition. Society pays great attention to digital business models while there is very little research bringing the fields of inter-organizational operations and digital business model innovation (BMI) together. To clarify how inter-organizational dependencies affect digital BMI in a corporate innovation ecosystem, this study conducted an empirical study of 210 companies from a corporate innovation ecosystem in China based on optimal distinctiveness theory. The results show that: (1) Joint dependence positively affects digital BMI, while asymmetry dependence negatively affects digital business model innovation; (2) Routine updating mediates the relationship between inter-organizational dependencies and digital BMI; (3) Cross-border management capabilities moderate the positive effect of routine updating on digital BMI. The study provides theoretical and practical guidelines for the management of inter-organizational dependencies operation between enterprises in the corporate innovation ecosystem.

Suggested Citation

  • Fei Zhou & Na Zhang & Xue Li & Chunjia Han & Brij B. Gupta, 2025. "Managing inter-organizational dependencies operation for discovering digital business model innovation in corporate innovation ecosystem," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 574-590, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:opmare:v:18:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s12063-024-00501-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s12063-024-00501-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12063-024-00501-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12063-024-00501-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fortin, Israël & Oliver, David, 2016. "To imitate or differentiate: Cross-level identity work in an innovation network," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 197-208.
    2. Xie, Xuemei & Wang, Hongwei, 2020. "How can open innovation ecosystem modes push product innovation forward? An fsQCA analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 29-41.
    3. Cenamor, Javier & Frishammar, Johan, 2021. "Openness in platform ecosystems: Innovation strategies for complementary products," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    4. Senyo, Prince Kwame & Liu, Kecheng & Effah, John, 2019. "Digital business ecosystem: Literature review and a framework for future research," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 52-64.
    5. Joachim Stonig & Torsten Schmid & Günter Müller‐Stewens, 2022. "From product system to ecosystem: How firms adapt to provide an integrated value proposition," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(9), pages 1927-1957, September.
    6. Ron Adner & Rahul Kapoor, 2010. "Value creation in innovation ecosystems: how the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 306-333, March.
    7. Mohamed M. Dhiaf & Osama F. Atayah & Nohade Nasrallah & Guilherme F. Frederico, 2021. "Thirteen years of Operations Management Research (OMR) journal: a bibliometric analysis and future research directions," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 235-255, December.
    8. Ranjay Gulati & Maxim Sytch, 2008. "Does familiarity breed trust? Revisiting the antecedents of trust," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2-3), pages 165-190.
    9. Sjödin, David & Parida, Vinit & Palmié, Maximilian & Wincent, Joakim, 2021. "How AI capabilities enable business model innovation: Scaling AI through co-evolutionary processes and feedback loops," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 574-587.
    10. Brea, Edgar, 2023. "A framework for mapping actor roles and their innovation potential in digital ecosystems," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    11. Luk N. Van Wassenhove, 2019. "Sustainable Innovation: Pushing the Boundaries of Traditional Operations Management," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 28(12), pages 2930-2945, December.
    12. Jie Zhen & Cejun Cao & Hanguang Qiu & Zongxiao Xie, 2021. "Impact of organizational inertia on organizational agility: the role of IT ambidexterity," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 53-65, March.
    13. Fei Zhou & Xue Li & Chunjia Han & Lan Zhang & Brij B. Gupta, 2023. "Unpacking the effect of institutional support on international corporate entrepreneurship in entrepreneurial support systems," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1101-1130, September.
    14. Granstrand, Ove & Holgersson, Marcus, 2020. "Innovation ecosystems: A conceptual review and a new definition," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 90.
    15. Vu Minh Ngo & Huan Huu Nguyen & Hiep Cong Pham & Hung Manh Nguyen & Phuc Vinh Dang Truong, 2023. "Digital supply chain transformation: effect of firm’s knowledge creation capabilities under COVID-19 supply chain disruption risk," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 1003-1018, June.
    16. Jarryd Daymond & Eric Knight & Maria Rumyantseva & Steven Maguire, 2023. "Managing ecosystem emergence and evolution: Strategies for ecosystem architects," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 1-27, April.
    17. Yu Yi & Hu Yimei & Qiao Han & Wang Shouyang, 2018. "Co-evolution: A New Perspective for Business Model Innovation," Journal of Systems Science and Information, De Gruyter, vol. 6(5), pages 385-398, October.
    18. He, Qile & Ghobadian, Abby & Gallear, David, 2013. "Knowledge acquisition in supply chain partnerships: The role of power," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 605-618.
    19. Jurriaan L. Jong & W. C. Benton, 2019. "Dependence and power in healthcare equipment supply chains," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 336-349, June.
    20. Rodolphe Durand & Robert M. Grant & Tammy L. Madsen & Eric Yanfei Zhao & Greg Fisher & Michael Lounsbury & Danny Miller, 2017. "Optimal distinctiveness: Broadening the interface between institutional theory and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 93-113, January.
    21. Ranjay Gulati & Paul R. Lawrence & Phanish Puranam, 2005. "Adaptation in vertical relationships: beyond incentive conflict," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 415-440, May.
    22. Deng, Tianjie & Robinson, William N., 2021. "Changes in emergent software development routines: The moderation effects of routine diversity," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    23. Hou, Hong & Shi, Yongjiang, 2021. "Ecosystem-as-structure and ecosystem-as-coevolution: A constructive examination," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    24. Adriana Rossiter Hofer, 2015. "Are We in This Together? The Dynamics and Performance Implications of Dependence Asymmetry and Joint Dependence in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships," Transportation Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(4), pages 438-472, October.
    25. Amit Nigam & Ruthanne Huising & Brian Golden, 2016. "Explaining the Selection of Routines for Change during Organizational Search," Post-Print hal-02311918, HAL.
    26. Raphael Amit & Christoph Zott, 2001. "Value creation in E‐business," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(6‐7), pages 493-520, June.
    27. Jiakuan Chen & Haoyu Wen, 2023. "The application of complex network theory for resilience improvement of knowledge-intensive supply chains," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1140-1161, September.
    28. Guilherme F. Frederico, 2021. "Project Management for Supply Chains 4.0: A conceptual framework proposal based on PMBOK methodology," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 434-450, December.
    29. Ranjay Gulati & Phanish Puranam, 2009. "Renewal Through Reorganization: The Value of Inconsistencies Between Formal and Informal Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(2), pages 422-440, April.
    30. Carmelo Cennamo & Juan Santaló, 2019. "Generativity Tension and Value Creation in Platform Ecosystems," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 617-641, May.
    31. Manu Sharma & Deepak Kaushal & Sudhanshu Joshi, 2023. "Strategic measures for enhancing resiliency in knowledge base supply chains: an emerging economy perspective," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1185-1205, September.
    32. Li, Yu & Wang, Ran & Wang, Tiexun & Wang, Junhe, 2022. "Exploring the relationship between network routines and innovation ecosystem performance in China: The moderating effect of transaction dependence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    33. Audra Wormald & Sonali K. Shah & Serguey Braguinsky & Rajshree Agarwal, 2023. "Pioneering digital platform ecosystems: The role of aligned capabilities and motives in shaping key choices and performance outcomes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(7), pages 1653-1697, July.
    34. Baofeng Huo & Kedi Wang & Yanming Zhang, 2021. "The impact of leadership on supply chain green strategy alignment and operational performance," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 152-165, June.
    35. Mohammadreza Akbari & John L. Hopkins, 2022. "Digital technologies as enablers of supply chain sustainability in an emerging economy," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 689-710, December.
    36. Başak Kalkanci & Morvarid Rahmani & L. Beril Toktay, 2019. "The Role of Inclusive Innovation in Promoting Social Sustainability," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 28(12), pages 2960-2982, December.
    37. Sima Sabahi & Mahour M. Parast, 2023. "An operations and supply chain management perspective to product innovation," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 808-829, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Reiter, Andreas & Stonig, Joachim & Frankenberger, Karolin, 2024. "Managing multi-tiered innovation ecosystems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    2. Dai, Guangsong & Zhang, Lanxia & Zhang, Qingqiang & Mao, Mengyu, 2024. "Navigating tensions between value creation and capture in ecosystems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    3. Silva, Lucas Emmanuel Nascimento & Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Faria, Aline Mariane de & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2024. "Innovation processes in ecosystem settings: An integrative framework and future directions," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Wang, Ziwei & Du, Yifei & Shi, Xuanya & Zhang, Guojian, 2025. "An activity system perspective on the sources of competitive advantage: A review and conceptual integration of designing and generative logics," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    5. Bo Liu & Yun-Fei Shao & Guowei Liu & Debing Ni, 2022. "An Evolutionary Analysis of Relational Governance in an Innovation Ecosystem," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, April.
    6. Shi, Xianwei & Liang, Xingkun & Luo, Yining, 2023. "Unpacking the intellectual structure of ecosystem research in innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    7. Van Dyck, Marc & Lüttgens, Dirk & Diener, Kathleen & Piller, Frank & Pollok, Patrick, 2024. "From product to platform: How incumbents' assumptions and choices shape their platform strategy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    8. Wang, Huan & Zheng, Leven J. & Zhang, Justin Zuopeng & Kumar, Ajay & Srivastava, Praveen Ranjan, 2024. "Unpacking complementarity in innovation ecosystems: A configurational analysis of knowledge transfer for achieving breakthrough innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    9. Baldwin, Carliss Y. & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Kapoor, Rahul & West, Joel, 2024. "Focusing the ecosystem lens on innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(3).
    10. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    11. Culot, Giovanna & Battistella, Cinzia, 2024. "Future ecosystem business model tool: Design science and field test in the efuel ecosystem towards the sustainability transition," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    12. Yanzhang Gu & Longying Hu & Hongjin Zhang & Chenxuan Hou, 2021. "Innovation Ecosystem Research: Emerging Trends and Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    13. Vikas A. Aggarwal & Brian Wu, 2015. "Organizational Constraints to Adaptation: Intrafirm Asymmetry in the Locus of Coordination," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(1), pages 218-238, February.
    14. Song, Yue & Gnyawali, Devi & Qian, Lihong, 2024. "From early curiosity to space wide web: The emergence of the small satellite innovation ecosystem," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(2).
    15. Saeed Khanagha & Shahzad (Shaz) Ansari & Sotirios Paroutis & Luciano Oviedo, 2022. "Mutualism and the dynamics of new platform creation: A study of Cisco and fog computing," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 476-506, March.
    16. Xie, Xuemei & Liu, Xiaojie & Blanco, Cristina, 2023. "Evaluating and forecasting the niche fitness of regional innovation ecosystems: A comparative evaluation of different optimized grey models," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    17. Jovanovic, Marin & Sjödin, David & Parida, Vinit, 2022. "Co-evolution of platform architecture, platform services, and platform governance: Expanding the platform value of industrial digital platforms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    18. Miehé, Lucas & Palmié, Maximilian & Oghazi, Pejvak, 2023. "Connection successfully established: How complementors use connectivity technologies to join existing ecosystems – Four archetype strategies from the mobility sector," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    19. Miremadi, Iman & Khoshbash, Mostafa & Saeedian, MohammadMahdi, 2023. "Fostering generativity in platform ecosystems: How open innovation and complexity interact to influence platform adoption," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    20. Bohnsack, René & Rennings, Michael & Block, Carolin & Bröring, Stefanie, 2024. "Profiting from innovation when digital business ecosystems emerge: A control point perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(3).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:opmare:v:18:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s12063-024-00501-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.