大数据变革冲击下企业创新求同还是存异？——基于最优区分理论视角

Abstract

In the digital age, Chinese firms are undergoing a big data revolution, that is, a profound shift in their business operations, innovation, and development models, owing to the rapid advancements and widespread application of big data technologies. It entails how firms tackle the challenges and leverage the opportunities presented by digital technologies. Moreover, it involves utilizing big data to streamline business processes, enhance products and services, and ultimately bolster competitiveness, enabling them to adapt to the dynamic market demands. The emerging technology paradigm represented by big data systematically impacts the existing technological landscape and capabilities of firms. On the one hand, this revolution offers traditional firms a chance to foster unique value through digital technologies, empowering them to develop innovative products or services and establish a sustainable competitive edge. On the other hand, the dynamic nature of technological innovation in the digital age may introduce legitimacy challenges for firms, hindering the translation of their innovative activities into tangible economic outcomes. In light of these shifts in the external technological landscape, it remains to be explored whether firms would chart a path to future success by amplifying their innovation efforts or if they would choose to respond to the prevailing uncertainties through imitation. To delve into the strategic positioning decisions of firms amidst the transformative influence of big data, this article draws upon the theory of optimal distinctiveness and its concept of strategic orchestration. According to the theory of optimal distinctiveness, firms grapple with a complex interplay of multidimensional factors, enabling them to strike a balance between 'to be different' and 'to be the same' across various strategic dimensions. Building upon this premise, the paper endeavors to explore how corporate innovation activities, affected by the paradigm shift of big data, can effectively navigate the inherent tension between 'to be different' and 'to be the same'. The study seeks to validate the proposition that firms undergoing the impact of the big data revolution would prioritize differentiation in the direction and content of innovation, thereby pursuing exploratory and disruptive innovations, while simultaneously fostering similarities in the volume of innovation inputs. In August 2015, the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued the Outline of Operations to Stimulate the Development of Big Data, inaugurating a pilot program in selected regions of China to establish a number of Big Data Pilot Zones. This initiative provided a valuable research opportunity to examine how firms respond to an exogenous technological paradigm shift embodied by big data. Leveraging the quasi-natural experiment of Big Data Pilot Zones, this paper reveals several key findings. First, under the impact of the big data revolution, corporate innovation decisions show the characteristics of seeking conformity while reserving differentiation, manifested as the simultaneous increasing of the exploratory innovation investment of firms and the peer effects of innovation levels. This conclusion is further corroborated through a series of rigorous tests, including propensity score matching (PSM), parallel trend analysis, placebo testing, and alternative variable measurements. Second, the mechanism tests demonstrate that the impact of the big data revolution on firms' innovation decisions follows a compensatory orchestration logic. That means, the tendency for peer imitation of technological innovations is particularly pronounced among firms that allocate greater investments towards exploratory innovations and face challenges in legitimacy. This study's findings yield valuable managerial insights for firms grappling with the repercussions of digital technologies. Employing the concept of strategic orchestration, firms can consider the approach that combines both radical and conservative tactics in response to the influence of digital technologies. Firstly, firms can embrace digital innovation by implementing transformative measures in digitalization. This may involve adopting cutting-edge digital technologies, harnessing data analytics, and integrating artificial intelligence to bolster productivity, enhance customer experiences, and foster the creation of novel business models. Simultaneously, companies must uphold a certain degree of conservatism to ensure adherence to pertinent laws and regulations, as well as effective risk management throughout the digital transformation journey. This may encompass reinforcing data privacy protection, fortifying information security measures, and ensuring the sustainability and compliance of the digital transformation process. By striking a balance between proactive and cautious strategies, firms can effectively navigate the impacts of digital technologies, thereby sustaining their competitive edge and upholding their legitimacy.