Research on the Configuration of Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs to Achieve High Innovation Performance in the Context of Digital Transformation

Gaokun Liu

doi:10.6981/FEM.202501_6(1).0003

Authors

Gaokun Liu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6981/FEM.202501_6(1).0003

Keywords:

Digital Transformation; Specialized and Sophisticated; Innovation Performance; Necessary Condition Analysis; Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis.

Abstract

Improving innovation performance is an important source for enterprises to enhance their competitiveness, especially in the context of digital transformation, how to achieve high innovation performance and enhance the hard power of core technologies has become an urgent problem to be solved. Based on the sample data of 26 Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs, this study uses a mixed method of NCA and fsQCA to explore the combination of antecedents that lead to the high innovation performance of Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs. The results show that: (1) The NCA method is used to identify a single antecedent condition, which is not a necessary condition for the high innovation performance of Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs. (2) High digital transformation and non-high supply chain concentration are the key factors for high innovation performance of enterprises, when the level of enterprise digitalization is high and the supply chain concentration is lacking, even if other conditions are incomplete, enterprises can achieve high innovation performance. (3) High digital transformation is not the only condition for Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs to achieve high innovation performance. In the case of incomplete digital transformation, there is still a high innovation performance path, and the R&D background and marketization level of senior executives have a substitution effect on digital transformation. Based on the configuration perspective, this study explores the full causal relationship of the high innovation performance of Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs, enriches the research on the antecedents of enterprise innovation performance, and provides a method and theoretical reference for related research.

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