Performance feedback and firms’ R&D frequency: a comparison between state-owned and private-owned enterprises in China

R&D investments are an important precursor to innovation and ultimately affect a firm’s long-term performance. Prior research has treated R&D expenses as static over time, but over the last few years, scholars have switched to a more dynamic perspective of R&D investment. Using data from Chinese listed manufacturing firms, this study investigates the influence of performance feedback on R&D investment frequency, and further explores how that influence differs in SOEs and POEs. These results provide insight into the dynamics of firms’ R&D investment, which can help decision-makers properly stimulate firms’ R&D investments in China’s emerging economy.