Abstract: As an important non-market strategic resource, political connection plays an important role in the R&D of private enterprises. Yet current research has not systematically explored the contingent influence of micro-level entrepreneurial spirit and macro-level external innovation pressure on the relationship between political connection and firm innovation. Using data from the 2016 All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce Private Enterprise Survey, we empirically examine how entrepreneurs' internal value and external innovation pressure affect the relationship between political connection and R&D investment. Results show that political connections of private enterprises have a positive relationship with R&D investment tendency and scale. Entrepreneurship and external innovation pressure positively regulate the relationship between political connections and R&D. This denotes that the resource effect brought by the political connection as a complementary strategic non-market resource increases enterprises’ innovation motivation. Entrepreneurs' use of political connection as non-market strategic resources is not only an initiative to reduce innovation risks, but also an important proactive responding to external innovation pressure so as to improve innovation capabilities. Drawing from the entrepreneurial decision perspective and upper echelon theory, this study generates novel insights on the relationship between political connection and firm innovation, providing practical enlightenment for firms to optimize their innovation strategies and accelerate innovation development.

摘要： 政治关联作为一种重要的非市场化战略资源，对民营企业创新具有重要影响，但现有研究尚未系统探究微观层面上企业家精神和宏观层面上外部创新压力对二者关系的权变影响。本研究利用2016年全国工商联私营企业调查数据，在实证检验民营企业政治关联与研发投资关系的基础上，进一步从高阶理论出发，探究企业家内在价值观和外部创新压力如何影响二者关系。结果显示民营企业政治关联显著提升企业研发投资倾向和研发投资规模，企业家精神和外部创新压力显著正向调节政治关联与研发投资的关系。这表明政治关联作为市场的互补性战略资源带来的资源效应提高了企业技术创新的积极性，而企业家对政治关联这一非市场化战略资源的运用既是主动减少创新风险的举措，也是主动应对外部创新压力、提升创新能力的重要表现。从企业家决策逻辑和高阶理论视角拓展政治关联与企业创新关系的理论认知，为企业优化创新战略、加快中国企业自主创新提供实践启示。