Title: Generational technological change, organisational search, and firm product innovation performance in new generational markets

Authors: Kyung Hwan Yun; Chenguang Hu; Jeffrey G. Covin

Addresses: Department of International Trade, College of Commerce, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, South Korea ' Department of Management, Faculty of Business and Management, BNU-HKBU United International College, 2000, Jintong Road, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China ' Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA

Abstract: By integrating the evolutionary perspective and the behavioural theory of the firm, this study draws on the generational technological change (GTC) and organisational search (OS) literatures and explores how problemistic and slack search, local and non-local search, search timing, and cumulative search experience of incumbent firms and new entrants lead to firm product innovation performance in new generational markets. Several distinctive features of GTC are discussed, including incremental and non-drastic innovation, co-existence of generations, and necessity for significant managerial attention and financial investment. With an in-depth investigation on the mobile phone manufacturing industry, particularly focusing on the Chinese mobile phone manufacturing industry, this study sheds light on irreversible evolutionary dynamics and GTC for incumbent firms and new entrants, OS for new generational technological knowledge, and their effects on product innovation performance in the new generation.

Keywords: generational technological change; GTC; organisational search; mobile phone manufacturing industry; MPMI; product innovation; evolutionary perspective; the behavioural theory of the firm.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2025.142941

International Journal of Technology Management, 2025 Vol.97 No.1, pp.1 - 27

Received: 16 Dec 2022
Accepted: 06 Sep 2023
Published online: 02 Dec 2024 *

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