Boundary-Spanning Search and Disruptive Innovation in Agricultural Technology Enterprises
The Role of Knowledge Orchestration
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22006653 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yunqi Chen (0000-0003-3634-2638, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, corresponding author), Liqing Zhou (0000-0002-1507-0269, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics), Yichu Wang (0009-0005-2963-8299, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440261451562 |
| OpenAlex | W7161054355 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 37 |
In the digital era, agricultural technology enterprises increasingly rely on external knowledge to cope with interdisciplinary complexity and technological uncertainty. Drawing on the attention-based view, this study examines the associations between boundary-spanning search and disruptive technological innovation, with particular focus on the role of knowledge orchestration capability. Organizational unlearning and digital orientation are further incorporated as contextual conditions shaping these relationships. Using cross-sectional survey data from 412 agricultural technology enterprises in China, this study employs hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping procedures to test the proposed associations. The results indicate that both breadth-oriented and depth-oriented boundary-spanning search are positively associated with disruptive technological innovation. Knowledge orchestration capability is positively associated with both forms of boundary-spanning search and with disruptive technological innovation, suggesting that it helps explain how search activities are linked to innovation outcomes. In addition, organizational unlearning strengthens the associations between boundary-spanning search and knowledge orchestration capability, while digital orientation strengthens the relationship between knowledge orchestration capability and disruptive technological innovation. Overall, this study contributes to the literature by distinguishing between two forms of boundary-spanning search and by clarifying how attention allocation and knowledge orchestration are associated with disruptive innovation in agricultural technology enterprises. It also provides context-sensitive insights for managers seeking to improve external knowledge search and integration practices in agricultural technology enterprises. The findings are interpreted as associative rather than causal and are grounded in self-reported, cross-sectional data from the Chinese context
Disruptive innovation · Information technology · Multilevel model · Orchestration · Survey data collection · Competitive and Knowledge Intelligence · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Open Source Software Innovations
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| Highly cited | No |
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