The impact of knowledge search balance on the generality and specificity of breakthrough innovation

Based on resource-based theory, this paper distinguishes the generality and specificity of breakthrough innovation and further analyses the influence of knowledge search balance on its formation. Our empirical tests are based on a database of artificial intelligence (AI) patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The results show the following: compared with one-dimensional domain knowledge search balance, cross-domain knowledge search balance can affect both the specificity and generality of breakthrough innovation. Among the types, two-dimensional and three-dimensional cross-domain knowledge search balance promotes the formation of general breakthrough innovation while inhibiting the generation of specific breakthrough innovation. In addition, three-dimensional cross-domain knowledge search balance has a stronger impact. The results also suggest that slack resources can positively moderate the relationship between three-dimensional cross-domain knowledge search balance and the generality of breakthrough innovation. Therefore, we expand the existing literature related to the formation of breakthrough innovation from the perspective of knowledge search and investigate its application in the field of AI.