Explore the driving factors behind the imitation and innovative imitation of Chinese Internet companies: A perspective of institutional theory

In this paper, we explore the driving factors behind the trend of imitation inherent of China´s Internet enterprises, and evaluate the role of institution in their growth trajectories. Our analysis focused on the most representative internet enterprises of China. We further intend to classify those enterprises into three groups, namely imitation-based companies, innovation-based companies, and the type of creative imitation, and identify the strategies associated with regulative, normative and culture-cognitive pillars of the institutional theory respectively. Finally, the influence of institutional factors on the imitative trend of China´s Internet industry is discussed, and based on several successful examples, we project a bright future toward innovative imitation for Chinese companies.