In the context of global digital transformation, innovation has become a key driver of economic and social development.This is particularly evident in the manufacturing sector, where the rise of industrial Internet platforms is advancing the platform economy, providing strong support for the digital transformation of enterprises and the enhancement of their innovation capabilities.To better understand how industrial Internet platforms drive enterprise innovation, this paper delves into the mechanisms at play.
As a new type of digital infrastructure, the industrial Internet platform connects the platform itself, the various entities within its ecosystem, and external resources. It not only fosters synergies between production and innovation processes but also offers new momentum and opportunities for enterprise innovation. Based on the theories of resource orchestration and open innovation, this paper focuses on Chinese manufacturing enterprises. It adopts a hierarchical framework of "platform—platform ecosystem—participating enterprises" to explore the relationship between the key capabilities of industrial Internet platforms, platform ecological embedding, and enterprise innovation performance, while also analyzing the role of platform network relationships (including strong ties and bridging ties) within this framework.
The key capabilities of the industrial Internet platform, such as industry foundational capabilities, technical capabilities, policy grasp capabilities, and social resource integration capabilities, form the essential foundation for promoting platform ecological embedding and significantly improving the innovation performance of participating enterprises. Platform ecological embedding, which refers to the interaction and resource flow between the platform and its participating enterprises, enhances the technological progress and innovation outcomes of participating enterprises through mechanisms like knowledge transfer, technology spillovers, and innovation collaboration. Building on the concept of platform ecological embedding, platform network relationships (strong ties and bridging ties) play distinct roles in the relationship between platform ecological embedding and enterprise innovation performance. Therefore, platform network relationships not only directly contribute to the improvement of innovation performance but also moderate the relationship between platform ecological embedding and innovation performance.
Manufacturing enterprises constitute the core user base of industrial Internet platforms, possessing complex and diverse demands for such platforms. The industry characteristics of these enterprises align closely with the capabilities offered by the platforms. Investigating the application scenarios of manufacturing enterprises can provide valuable insights into the pivotal role that industrial Internet platforms play in fostering enterprise innovation. Thus, this study targets manufacturing enterprises located in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta regions. Initially, the research team conducted in-depth interviews with 23 enterprise representatives, and formed the initial questionnaire based on the feedback obtained from these interviews. The questionnaire survey was carried out from October 2023 to August 2024, and was designed in two stages to mitigate common method bias while maintaining the feasibility of the research. Additionally, the paper verified the moderating role of platform network relationships in the relationship between platform ecological embedding and enterprise innovation performance. The research findings indicate that the key capabilities of industrial Internet platforms significantly enhance the innovation performance of participating enterprises, with platform ecological embedding acting as a mediator. Furthermore, platform network relationships (strong ties and bridging ties) not only directly improve innovation performance but also positively moderate the relationship between platform ecological embedding and enterprise innovation performance.
This study integrates research in the fields of resource orchestration theory, open innovation theory, and enterprise performance, focusing on the relationship between industrial Internet platforms and enterprise innovation performance in specific contexts. In contrast to previous literature, this paper provides an innovative contribution by simplifying the complex concept of the industrial Internet platform by relating it to the traditional understanding of a digital platform. It delves into the unique key capabilities of industrial Internet platforms, the internal mechanisms linking platform ecological embedding to enterprise innovation performance, and expands the application of resource orchestration and open innovation theories. The empirical analysis supports the conclusions, offering a new perspective for evaluating the value of industrial Internet platforms and providing theoretical insights for Chinese manufacturing enterprises on how to effectively allocate resources and foster innovation within the platform ecosystem.