Cross-border innovation collaboration in a bifurcated world order: A multiple case analysis

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, firms collaborate to access knowledge, sustain technological leadership, and enhance profitability. Despite extensive research on governance in a bifurcated world order, limited attention has been paid to how political and economic competition shapes cross-border collaborations. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of rising geopolitical bifurcation and global value-chain decoupling on cross-border innovation collaboration in the Asia–Pacific region, with a focus on Australia and China. Drawing on institutional logic multiplicity and a bilateral geo-economic perspective, specifically the coupling–decoupling dynamics within globalisation and deglobalisation contexts, our multiple case analysis identifies four patterns of collaboration: synergistic, pragmatic, tensional, and opportunistic. This taxonomy offers a theoretical framework for understanding how cross-border collaborations evolve and adapt in response to shifts in geopolitical and economic interdependence. The study further highlights the challenges faced by Australian entrepreneurs and scientists in partnering with China to commercialise innovation while safeguarding technological leadership. Overall, the findings provide practical insights into navigating cross-border innovation collaboration within a bifurcated global order. JEL Classifications: F23, O31, O32, F50