The asymmetric effects of exploitation and exploration on radical and incremental innovation performance : an uneven affair

Abstract

Scholars have argued that the exploitation‐exploration interaction provides a source of competitive advantage beyond that provided by each individually. However, we know little about the mutual effects of exploitation and exploration on either incremental or radical innovation performance. To address this gap, we examine data from 171 manufacturing firms. We find incremental innovation performance is highest when exploitation interacts with an intermediary level of exploration. Radical innovation performance, however, is solely driven Show more