Incentive Mechanism of Innovation Failure Knowledge Sharing of Virtual Research Organization-

 Purpose Innovation failure knowledge sharing plays an important role in reducing the probability of repeated failure of subsequent innovation and improving innovation ability of virtual research organization. However, it is very difficult for members to actively share the innovation failure knowledge without incentives. This study aims to establish the incentive mechanism of innovation failure knowledge sharing, and promote the sharing behavior of innovation failure knowledge in virtual research organization. Design/methodology/approach By using game theory, considering the risk aversion degree of organization members and the negative effect of innovation fault-tolerance environment, the incentive model of innovation failure knowledge sharing of virtual research organization was constructed, and the incentive relationship of innovation failure knowledge sharing between organization and its members under the influence of different states was analyzed. Findings Without considering the negative effect of innovation fault-tolerant environment, the optimal incentive coefficient of innovation failure knowledge sharing is positively related to the sharing rate of innovation failure knowledge and the transformation ability of innovation failure knowledge of organization members, and negatively related to the sharing cost and risk aversion degree of organization members. Considering the negative effect of innovation fault-tolerant environment, virtual research organization should make a corresponding modification of sharing incentive intensity according to the estimation of tolerance degree to innovation fault-tolerant environment by itself and its members, so as to reduce the knowledge input of organization. Originality/value This study proposes an incentive mechanism of innovation failure knowledge sharing considering the negative effect of innovation fault-tolerant environment, which provides a novel idea and method for the design of incentive mechanism of innovation failure knowledge sharing in virtual research organization.