关键词: 数字创新, 获利, 非正式独占性机制, 早期进入, 产品复杂性

Abstract: Rapid advances in digital technology have made it increasingly challenging for companies to profit from digital innovation. Early entry and product complexity mechanisms have become important informal appropriability mechanisms for protecting digital innovation and achieving profitability. However, their specific roles in digital innovation remain unclear. Based on innovation appropriability theory and using App Store platform data from April 2019 to April 2024, this paper analyzes the effects of early entry and product complexity on digital product performance, and further examines the interaction between these two mechanisms. The findings show that early entry mechanism has a positive effect on digital product performance, and product complexity also has a positive effect. External digital technology dynamism strengthens the positive effect of early entry while weakening the positive effect of the product complexity. In addition, early entry and product complexity exhibit a substitution relationship. These findings enrich innovation appropriability theory in the context of digital platforms and provide theoretical guidance and optimization directions for companies implementing informal appropriability mechanisms.

Key words: digital innovation, appropriability, informal appropriation mechanism, early entry, product complexity