Idiosyncratic Deals and Breakthrough Innovation: Based on the Paradox Theory Perspective

Abstract Purpose: Scientific and technological independence depends on breakthrough innovation, and the breakthrough of innovation comes from the stimulation of talent vitality. Taking the idiosyncratic deals to meet the unique needs of talents as the starting point, this study constructs a two-stage moderating mediated model based on paradox theory, and discusses the impact of idiosyncratic deals on breakthrough innovation through exploratory-exploitative learning tension, as well as the moderating role of transactive memory systems and cognitive flexibility in this process. Participants and Methods: In order to reduce the effects of common method biases and causal lag effect, this study was divided into three stages for data collection, with a time interval of a month. 332 employees from four enterprises in Shanghai and Wuhan were selected as samples, and the hypothesis test was carried out by linear regression, bootstrap and Johnson-Neyman method. Results: The results showed that Idiosyncratic deals has a positive impact on breakthrough innovation through exploratory-exploitative learning tension; transactive memory systems in the first stage and cognitive flexibility in the second stage positively moderate the mediating effect of exploratory-exploitative learning tension between idiosyncratic deals and breakthrough innovation and. Under the combined effect of high transactive memory systems and high cognitive flexibility, idiosyncratic deals has the strongest indirect effect on breakthrough innovation through exploratory-exploitative learning tension. Conclusion: The study results break through the previous research framework of social exchange theory, and use paradox theory to explore the influence mechanism of idiosyncratic deals, in order to promote the sustainable growth of breakthrough innovation through this non-standard work arrangement.