Understanding the interplay between competitor and alliance orientations in product innovativeness: An integrative framework

Competitor and alliance orientations represent different organizational logics, but their combined effects on product innovation outcomes remain unclear. To address this issue, the authors use the concept of fit and propose a comprehensive conceptualization of the combination of competitor and alliance orientations; additionally, we empirically identify the combined effects of balance, alignment, and the interaction on product innovativeness. A causal-explanatory, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based design with purposive sampling was conducted. The empirical assessment used a sample of 139 senior managers in Taiwan's electronics industry (with a valid response rate of 16.85%). Research hypotheses were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling, analysis of covariance, and quantile regression analyses. The results show that the relative imbalance between the competitor and alliance orientations is not significantly associated with product innovativeness. Aligning these two orientations significantly improves product innovativeness, which supports the matching perspective of coalignment. Furthermore, in relation to fit as moderation, the interaction between the two orientations is negatively related to product innovativeness. These results provide a new lens through which scholars can assess and measure the joint effects of competitor and alliance orientations and offer managerial guidance to practitioners.