Publication Type

PhD Dissertation

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

5-2026

Abstract

In recent years, the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has developed rapidly, moving from electrification toward an intelligent phase characterized by software-defined vehicles. NEV firms pursue product and technological innovation through diverse strategic paths, including internal research and development, collaborative development, and platform-based development, yet their innovation performance varies. Most extant research focuses on the industry level, offering limited insight into how, at the firm level, different technological paths shape the innovation outcomes through firms’ dynamic capabilities. It still remains unclear whether and how these relationships among paths, capabilities, and innovation outcomes differ across technological domains.

This study adopts a two-stage research design. In Study 1, the grounded theory was used to construct a process model that maps the relational mechanism of technological paths, dynamic capabilities, and innovation outcomes, and identifies the moderating role of technological domains within this mechanism. Based on the findings in Study 1 and the expert ratings, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used in Study 2 to further reveal multiple equivalent configuration paths through which NEV firms achieve high innovation performance across different technological domains.

These findings demonstrate that firms in the NEV industry, a typical complex product industry, do not rely on a single optimal technological strategy path. Instead, NEV firms adopt differentiated technological strategy paths across various domains based on their resource endowments, thereby building corresponding dynamic capabilities to achieve high innovation performance.

This study examines technological strategy paths, dynamic capabilities, and innovation performance across three dimensions: process mechanisms, configuration perspectives, and technological domains. It provides practical guidance on technological strategy path decision-making for firms in complex product industries.

Keywords

Technological Strategy Paths, Dynamic Capability, Innovation Performance, Technological Domain Heterogeneity, Equifinality, New Energy Vehicle Industry

Degree Awarded

SMU-SJTU Doctor of Business Administration

Discipline

Strategic Management Policy | Technology and Innovation

Supervisor(s)

GENG, Xuesong

First Page

1

Last Page

146

Publisher

Singapore Management University

City or Country

Singapore

Copyright Owner and License

Author

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