How does Knowledge Search Influence Enterprise Innovation Performance? A Literature Review and Prospects

The mechanism of knowledge search facilitating enterprise innovation performance has always been the core issue in the fields of knowledge management, innovation management and strategic management. Actually, more than half of articles in the field of knowledge search research focus on discussing the topic of how knowledge search affects enterprise innovation performance, especially after the year of 2012. However, the existing research has not conducted a systematic and comprehensive literature review of a large amount of articles regarding the topic. Therefore, this study presents a systematic literature review for the topic of how knowledge search affects enterprise innovation performance, covering 95 scholarly articles published between 2001 and 2018. Based on the analysis, we provide the shortcomings of existing research results and suggest promising directions for future investigation. Firstly, this study systematically demonstrates the conception, dimensions and measurement methods of knowledge search. Secondly, based on different dimensions of knowledge search, it reviews the influencing mechanism of different types of knowledge search on enterprise innovation performance（including the positive, negative and inverted U-shaped effects）. Thirdly, it summarizes the ambidexterity effects（complementary and balanced）of knowledge search and the portfolio effects of the tactics of multidimensional knowledge search on enterprise innovation performance. Fourthly, it fully combs the moderating and mediating effects on the relationship between knowledge search and enterprise innovation performance. Finally, it constructs an integrative framework for the influencing mechanism of knowledge search on enterprise innovation performance, and proposes limitations of current research and five possible directions of future research:（1）The evolution of regularization in knowledge search behavior and its dynamic mechanisms on enterprise innovation performance need to be revealed;（2）The extension of the ambidexterity theory in the research field of knowledge search affecting enterprise innovation performance remains to be improved;（3）The impact of multi-dimensional knowledge search on enterprise innovation performance requires to be expanded;（4）The mediating mechanism of knowledge search affecting enterprise innovation performance should be deepened;（5）Research on knowledge search influencing enterprise innovation performance in the context of China’s special situation and the emergence of new information technology is worth exploring. This paper clarifies the research status of how knowledge search affects enterprise innovation performance, and provides a foundation for the follow-up research in this field.