Technological standard alliance in China: partner selection and innovation performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to find the relationship between alliance partner selection and innovation performance of technological standard alliance in China.Design/methodology/approachThe authors designed the selection factors of alliance partners in terms of reputation, compatibility and technological standardization ability and, based on the empirical research data, analyzed the correlation between partner selection and innovation performance using the method of cross validation statistically.FindingsIt was found that the selection of alliance partners would directly affect the operation and management of technological standard alliance in China. Appropriate partners among technological standard alliance will play a significant role in improving partners' independent innovation capability. The empirical results showed that potential cooperative partners' reputation, compatibility and standardization ability had an obvious effect on innovation performance.Originality/valueThe paper finds and verifies the key index of alliance partner selection. This result can provide some important references for managers when selecting appropriate cooperative partners. Technological standard alliance managers can evaluate potential cooperative partners according to the index of reputation, technological standardization ability and compatibility designed in this paper. High‐tech firms can cultivate their cooperative innovation ability to adapt to the demands of technological standard alliance according to the key index.