Proposing a Framework Towards Product Innovation Success: The Role of External Knowledge Type and Network Setting

Abstract

External knowledge in organizational networks plays a key role in organizational innovation. The explicit and tacit knowledge contained in these networks can influence the ability of an organization to access them. A key characteristic of networks that may influence knowledge sharing and acquisition in their networks is the degree of network density. This paper aims to provide a conceptual framework for understanding how network density and the degree of external knowledge tacitness interact to influence product innovation success. Using network and knowledge theories, propositions argue that explicit knowledge is more successfully accessed in open networks, while tacit knowledge is more successfully accessed in closed networks. Furthermore, external knowledge with a combination of explicit and tacit characteristics is proposed to be most advantageous and successfully accessed in networks with both open and closed characteristics.