Abstract: Aim to investigate the decision-making mechanism of external orientation management innovation of enterprises. Key factors to be considered by entrepreneurs when making external orientation management innovation decisions were identified by three groups of exploratory multiple cases, which are strategic innovations of Bao Steel, the Capital Steel, and Tisco Steel, service innovations of Dalian Sanyo Cold Chain Co. Ltd., Haire, and Hussmann (U.S.), and business model innovations of Taobao, Ebay, and Wangsheng separately. The mechanism framework of external orientation management innovation decision-making was constructed and empirically testified by questionnaire survey of 300 enterprises located in Beijing, Tianjin and Southeast of China. The conclusions showed that: Firstly, not all internal and external environmental factors, only some of them were considered by entrepreneurs when making external orientation management innovation decisions，including customer need, resource constraint, technological capacity, and so forth; Secondly, heterogeneity of external orientation management innovation decision was caused by the different recognition of entrepreneurs to the factors; Thirdly, scale not ownership determined the characteristics of external orientation management innovation decision.

Key words: external orientation management innovation decision-making, entrepreneur, exploratory multiple case study

摘要： 旨在探讨企业外部取向管理创新的决策机理。通过宝钢、首钢和太钢的战略创新，三洋、海尔和美国哈斯曼的服务创新，以及淘宝、易趣和网盛的商业模式创新三组探索性多案例研究析出了企业家在进行外部取向管理创新决策时重点考量的因素；并据此构建了外部取向管理创新决策机理框架，通过对北京、天津和东三省地区300家企业的问卷调查对框架进行了实证检验。研究表明，企业家在进行外部取向管理创新决策时并非对企业内外部因素进行系统性考量，而是重点分析客户需求、资源约束、技术能力等关键因素；企业家对因素的不同认知决定了外部取向管理创新决策的异质性；得出了企业规模、而非性质决定创新决策的结果。

关键词: 外部取向管理创新决策, 企业家, 探索性多案例研究