Repeated partnerships in university‐industry collaboration portfolios and firm innovation performance : roles of absorptive capacity and political connections

Zhang, Shuman and Han, Chen and Chen, Chao (2022) Repeated partnerships in university‐industry collaboration portfolios and firm innovation performance : roles of absorptive capacity and political connections. R&D Management, 52 (5). pp. 838-853.

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Abstract

There is little empirical evidence on the relationship between repeated partnerships and firm innovation performance in the university-industry collaboration (UIC) portfolio context. This study investigates how repeated partnerships in UIC portfolios influence focal firms’ innovation performance. Using a panel dataset of 768 UIC portfolios in the Chinese manufacturing industry, we theorize and reveal that repeated partnerships in UIC portfolios exert a negative effect on firm innovation performance. Besides, UIC portfolio repeated partnerships have a positive effect on absorptive capacity and that absorptive capacity partially mediates the relationship between UIC portfolio repeated partnerships and firm innovation performance, and political connections strengthen this relationship. These findings contribute to previous research on repeated partnerships and alliance portfolios, and provide practical implications for both firm managers and policymakers.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
R&D Management
ID Code:
235826
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
06 Mar 2026 11:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
06 Mar 2026 11:20