Search Behavior and Catch-up of Firms in Emerging Markets

Abstract

This study investigates catch-up in the form of knowledge creation of firms in emerging markets by stressing two distinct types of search behaviors of an organization – horizontal search and vertical search. Based on an empirical analysis of 204 Chinese firms, this study provides new theoretical insights into and practical implications by emphasizing that in order to catch-up, firms in emerging markets should adopt idiosyncratic search strategies different from those of firms in more advanced countries. The regression results show that due to their under-developed absorptive capacity, firms in emerging markets should avoid searching in diverse knowledge fields, as established large firms in advanced countries are encouraged to do, in order to innovate successfully. Our findings also suggest that searching for recent and emerging knowledge helps firms in emerging markets overcome their learning curve disadvantage in the process of catch-up.