Local and international knowledge search and product innovation: The moderating role of technology boundary spanning

• This study examined the interactive effect of local and international search on product innovation.
• Data on 343 Chinese manufacturing firms across 5 industries were analyzed.
• Extensive local and international search interact to positively predict product innovation success.
• This relationship is weaker for firms entering a new technology domain.

Drawing on the external knowledge search literature and the literature on international diversification, this study examined the interactive effect of local and international search for new knowledge on product innovation and the moderating role of a firm's technology boundary spanning activities. Specifically, it proposed that extensive local and international search interact to positively predict product innovation success and this relationship is weaker for firms entering a new technology domain. The results using data on 343 Chinese manufacturing firms across 5 industries indicated the support for the predictions.