Abstract: Despite the widespread recognition of “boundary paradox” and the need to adopt knowledge sharing and knowledge protection simultaneously, yet there is a scarcity of empirical research included the two variables into the same dimension. Introducing the ambidexterity view, this paper describes the behavior of simultaneously considering knowledge sharing and protection during alliance as the ambidexterity of knowledge sharing and knowledge protection. Based on the data of 302 Chinese enterprises, the paper finds that the ambidexterity of knowledge sharing and knowledge protection can promote the new product performance. The findings also indicate that trust has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the ambidexterity dimension, contracts have a negative effect on the ambidexterity dimension, and the interaction of trust and contracts also has a negative effect on the ambidexterity dimension. The paper further finds that environmental uncertainty strengthens the positive relationship between trust and the ambidexterity dimension and also the negative relationship between the interaction of trust and contracts and ambidexterity dimension. The results provide a new perspective for the discussion of the “boundary paradox”. The results also provide some guidance and suggestions for enterprise practice.

摘要： 现有研究虽已逐渐开始关注联盟过程中“边界困境”现象，以及企业需在联盟中兼顾知识共享与知识保护问题，但少有研究将知识共享与保护纳入同一维度。研究引入双元性视角，利用双元性描述边境困境下企业兼顾知识共享与知识保护的行为。基于302组我国企业数据，结果发现企业知识共享和知识保护的双元性对企业新产品绩效有促进作用。研究一并探讨了两种治理机制：信任和契约对企业知识共享与保护双元性的影响作用，以及外部环境不确定性对上述关系的调节作用。结果发现，信任对知识共享与保护的双元性有倒U型作用，而契约对知识共享与保护的双元性有负向作用，且两种治理机制互相替代。更进一步，研究发现，外部环境不确定性增强了信任对双元性的有利作用，但也同时强化了两种治理机制对知识共享与保护双元性的负向作用。研究结果为探讨联盟“边界困境”问题提供了新的视角，同时为企业实践提供了一定指导建议。