Abstract：Based on the knowledge creation theory, this study employs an empirical research method to analyze the data from 485 team members in 145 informal teams across 62 micro, small and medium enterprises, aiming to explore the influence mechanism of informal teams’ vicarious learning reciprocity on sustainable innovation capability and analyze the mediating role of innovation opportunity recognition and moderating role of organizational safety climate. The results show that symmetric reciprocal vicarious learning has a significantly positive influence on organizational sustainable innovation ability, while asymmetric reciprocal vicarious learning has a significantly negative effect. Innovation opportunity recognition plays a mediating role in this relationship and the mediation effect is moderated by staffing levels and organizational safety climate. Moreover, staffing levels have a positive moderating effect between symmetrical reciprocal vicarious learning and innovation opportunity recognition in informal teams. Organizational safety climate positively moderates the relationship between symmetric reciprocal vicarious learning and innovation opportunity recognition, and negatively moderates the relationship between asymmetric reciprocal vicarious learning and innovation opportunity recognition.
