Research on the Impact of Peers’ Early Publication of Patents on Innovation Rhythm of Enterprises

In the face of changes brought about by the innovative behaviors of peers, adjusting one’s innovation rhythm to enhance enterprise performance has become a crucial challenge for enterprises. This study posits that if peers choose to disclose their patent applications in advance, the resulting knowledge spillover and information spillover may lead to changes in the innovation rhythm of enterprises. By using panel data from 140 sample companies in the computer, communication, and other electronic equipment manufacturing industry from 2008 to 2017, employing generalized linear regression analysis, this study reveals that peers’ early publication of patents enhances the irregularity in the innovation rhythm of enterprises. Moreover, companies with greater financial redundancy experience a lesser impact, while those with stronger technological capabilities are more significantly affected. Consequently, companies with excessively irregular or regular innovation rhythms can adjust their innovation pace by increasing financial redundancy or enhancing technological capabilities, thereby improving enterprise performance. This study expands the research on the dynamics of enterprise innovation and the theories of peer effects and spillover effects in the context of enterprise innovation.