How relational networks influence team innovation: dual pathways and synergistic mechanism in knowledge activities
Shaoling Wu, Peng Cheng, Jianghua WangPurpose
Although relationships among relational networks, knowledge activities, and team innovation have been widely examined in prior research, the mechanisms through which differentiated knowledge paths influence innovation have not been directly compared within a single model. Based on tie strength theory and knowledge creation theory, this study proposes that strong and weak ties influence team innovation through differentiated knowledge activities. Specifically, strong ties and weak ties foster team innovation by promoting knowledge sharing and knowledge acquisition, respectively. In addition, the study positions knowledge acquisition capability as a key contextual factor in this mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a “Structure–Situation–Process” framework that integrates social network and knowledge creation perspectives, this study tests the hypotheses using survey data collected from 288 knowledge-based teams in China. Hierarchical regression and bootstrapping methods are used to examine the proposed mediating and moderating effects.
Findings
The results confirm that both knowledge sharing and knowledge acquisition play significant partial mediating roles between relational networks and team innovation, particularly through knowledge sharing. Furthermore, knowledge acquisition positively moderates the relationship between knowledge sharing and innovation. A moderated mediation analysis further reveals that the indirect path via knowledge sharing is significant only when the level of knowledge acquisition is high.
Originality/value
The theoretical contribution of this study lies in its integrative refinement of existing theoretical frameworks. Specifically, it contributes in three ways. First, it simultaneously examines the dual-path mediating effects of strong and weak ties on team innovation through knowledge sharing and knowledge acquisition within a single model, comparing the effect sizes of the four paths and providing comparable empirical evidence for long-standing theoretical debates. Second, it unexpectedly discovers that knowledge sharing dominates in the weak-tie pathway and reveals its theoretical mechanism as a “value realization amplifier.” Third, it finds that knowledge acquisition not only serves as a mediating path but also moderates the relationship between knowledge sharing and team innovation, proposing and preliminarily validating the synergistic role of knowledge acquisition as a “system enabler.” These findings do not fundamentally question existing theories but rather offer a finer-grained and more integrative understanding within the existing theoretical framework, opening up new testable propositions for future research.