The Impact of Technology Acquisition on Innovation: Moderating Effects of Environmental Dynamism and Strategic Orientation in High-Tech Enterprises

Abstract

This study examines how internal research and development (R&D) and external technology acquisition affect innovation performance in high-tech enterprises, emphasizing the mediating role of organizational learning ability and the moderating roles of environmental dynamism and technology strategy orientation. Utilizing structural equation modeling on data collected from 509 high-tech companies in China, the analysis reveals that both internal and external technology acquisition significantly enhance learning ability, which in turn positively influences innovation performance. Learning ability partially mediates the effects of both acquisition modes on innovation outcomes. While technology strategy orientation significantly amplifies the positive relationship between learning ability and innovation results, whereas environmental dynamism shows no moderating effect. These results suggest that a firm’s strategic focus on technological advancement reinforces the benefits of organizational learning, whereas dynamic environmental conditions do not significantly alter this relationship. The study contributes to theory by integrating the organizational learning, contingency, and synergy effects perspectives to explain innovation pathways. Practically, the findings urge high-tech enterprises to adopt context-specific technology acquisition strategies and to cultivate strong internal learning mechanisms aligned with clear technology strategies to achieve superior innovation performance.