Abstract: Starting from the construction of a more scientific and comprehensive exploratory innovation preference measurement, this paper analyzes the mechanism and channels of the effect of industrial robot applications on innovation preference from multiple dimensions, and conducts heterogeneity analysis from three levels: TFP, technology mergers and acquisitions(M&As), and market competition. The main conclusions are: (1)Industrial robot applications can improve enterprises’ exploratory innovation preference, and enterprises to transform from utilization-based innovation to exploratory innovation. Therefore, industrial robot applications can enable Chinese enterprises to make greater breakthroughs in basic, cutting-edge and original key core technology problems; (2)Industrial robot applications have the "labor structure adjustment effect", "financing constraint relaxation effect" and "R&D efficiency improvement effect". These three effects are also important channels for industrial robots to help improve exploratory innovation preference. They can effectively inspire enterprises to get rid of their inherent R&D dependence and R&D inertia, explore new tracks of production technology and processes, and thus achieve technological leapfrog; (3)Actively guiding high TFP enterprises to conduct exploratory innovation, encouraging enterprises to conduct technology M&As, and creating a more scientific and fair competition environment will help industrial robots better play their role in promoting exploratory innovation, thereby continuously stimulating the potential and vitality of enterprises to conduct high-level innovation.

摘要： 以构造更科学全面的探索式创新偏好测度方法为切入点，从多维度细致剖析工业机器人应用对企业创新偏好的作用机制和渠道，并从TFP、技术并购和市场竞争程度三个层面进行异质性分析。得到结论主要有：(1)工业机器人应用能提高企业的探索性创新偏好，促使企业从利用式创新向探索式创新转变，因而工业机器人应用能使中国企业在基础性、前沿性和原创性关键核心技术难题上取得更大的突破；(2)工业机器人应用具有“劳动力结构调整效应”、“融资约束放松效应”和“研发效率提升效应”，这三个效应也是工业机器人助力探索式创新偏好提升的重要渠道，能有效激发企业摆脱固有的研发依赖和研发惯性，探索生产技术和生产工艺的新赛道，进而实现技术蛙跳；(3)积极引导高TFP企业进行探索式创新、鼓励企业进行技术并购和营造更为科学公平的竞争环境，有助于工业机器人更好地发挥探索式创新促进功能，进而不断激发企业进行高阶创新的潜能和活力。