Enhancing innovation through learning: the roles of market orientation and interorganisational knowledge stores

Drawing on the organisational learning theory, this study regards market orientation as a market-based learning and seeks to advance insight into how market orientation and interorganisational knowledge stores together affect different types of innovation. Our findings from a sample of 246 manufacturing firms provide supporting evidence for the positive effect of market orientation on both explorative and exploitative innovation. The effect of market orientation on innovation gets amplified when firms possess large amount of interorganisational knowledge, demonstrating the synergistic effect produced by different types of learning which is less known. This study, therefore, sheds light on the under-researched area of literature surrounding the interaction between different learning activities and the roles of knowledge from different sources on firm innovation.     

产学合作关系对企业创新绩效的影响研究——基于案例研究的概念模型与解释

基于对关系嵌入性已有文献和企业知识观理论的研究评述,提出了产学合作的关系嵌入性→外部知识获取→企业创新绩效的理论预设。并以理论预设中的3个研究构面为讨论原点,结合4个企业和大学合作项目的探索性案例分析,构建了纳入细致考察变量的概念模型,提出并解释了一系列基于经验研究的理论命题,从而进一步揭示了理论预设中3个研究构面的关系链机理。研究发现,产学合作的关系嵌入性(信任、信息共享、控制)通过企业获取外部知识的两种主要机制(显性知识转移、共同解决问题)间接影响企业创新绩效,并进一步解释了其中的关联路径与影响方式。     

基于科学的企业内部治理问题：文献综述与研究展望

迄今为止,基于科学的企业研究已经取得重大进展。尝试对基于科学的企业内部治理研究成果进行梳理,以基于科学的企业内涵、创业者角色、科学家团队治理、董事会治理、股东治理、高管治理为逻辑框架,对基于科学的企业内部治理研究现状进行总结归纳。在此基础上,从基于科学的企业治理机制视角提出未来研究方向,包括企业权力配置、激励机制设计、人员配置等系列研究问题。提出的未来研究方向可丰富和拓展基于科学的企业治理理论框架,为理解和指导中国情境下基于科学的企业治理实践带来启示。     

高新技术企业间知识治理对协同创新绩效的影响

知识治理是知识管理理论发展的新阶段，在动态复杂的创新环境下，知识治理与创新的关系已成为学术界关注的热点话题。对高新技术企业进行问卷调查，探讨知识治理对协同创新绩效的影响并采用有调节的中介效应模型，分析知识转移和制度环境在其中的作用机制。结果表明，正式知识治理与非正式知识治理均会对知识转移产生正向影响；知识转移在知识治理与协同创新绩效关系中存在完全中介效应，即知识治理对协同创新绩效的正向效应是通过知识转移实现的；制度环境正向调节知识转移对协同创新绩效的影响，即在良好的制度环境下，知识转移的中介作用更强。     

Technological area experience,experience diversity and innovation

One conclusion from the knowledge-based view is that firms develop knowledge from experience. This paper examines the conditions under which firms’ R&D experiences might have stronger or weaker effects on innovation capabilities. We posit that any potential benefit depends on the nature of this experience. In particular, we look at how technological area experience and experience diversity affects innovation capabilities. We further propose that, in order to leverage their experience, firms need to consider how the interactions of technological area experience and experience diversity affect performance. To test this model, we draw on a data set of 3034 drug development projects undertaken by 30 large pharmaceutical companies between 1980 and 2008.     

核心企业治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效的影响——知识转移的中介作用

从知识转移视角提出核心企业不同治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效影响的概念模型与研究假设。结合268家以模块化方式运行的样本企业调研数据，运用层次回归分析法进行实证检验。结果发现：核心企业规则治理机制、合同治理机制和关系治理机制对模块化网络创新绩效均有显著正向影响，其中，规则治理机制的影响最为显著;显性知识转移在规则治理机制、合同治理机制与模块化网络创新绩效之间发挥完全中介作用;隐性知识转移在关系治理机制与模块化网络创新绩效之间发挥部分中介作用。研究结论可为核心企业更好地管理和运用模块化创新网络提供理论指导。     

Joint research and development projects as technology training ventures

This paper presents an empirically derived model of the process through which industrial firms that lack internal resources in a particular technology area to implement certain research and development (R&D) projects on their own, initiale nad implement them jointly with not-for-profit research institutions. Such joint R&D projects are typically initiated by smaller, technologically less advanced firms in developing countires, with the underlying objective of training themselves in the relevant technology area and acquiring new technological resources from more advanced local research institutions, while simultaneously and rapidly completing the immediate R&D project. This process model has been developed by drawing from and synthesizing several in-depth case studies of such projects. In developing countries, joint R&D projects of this nature are important, as they can be more effective than formal technology training programmes for not-for-profit research institutions to fulfil their charter by transerning their advanced technical knowledge to the relatively less advanced local industrial firms. Participating firms that seek to their immediate interest, and therefore learn it rapidly and effectively. This paper adds to the scarce literature on ht process of organizational knowledge acquisition through contractual arrangements such as joint projects. It also enables both firms and research institutions to understand effective proceses for initiating and implementing such mutually beneficial joint R&D projects.     

企业集群的向心力和离心力

区域经济的集群化发展是人类经济活动的一个越来越重要的特征,对这种发展趋势的深刻理解有助于把空间引入经济学中,克服没有空间的经济增长理论的局限,提高其解释力和预见力。然而,要理解企业集群的形成、治理和演变,从而正确地制定区域经济发展战略,就必须深刻理解企业集群的向心力和离心力。因为,塑造集群化经济的地理结构的正是企业集群的向心力与离心力之间的张力。本文探讨了企业集群的各种向心力（如马歇尔型外部经济、报酬递增、空间竞争、非贸易类投入品的可获得性、创业优势、企业间的互补性、区域品牌效应、运输技术的发展和经济活动聚集的预期等）和离心力（如拥挤效应、知识外溢的效果递减、土地、非熟练工人等投入品的非流动性和需求在空间上的分散性等）。在此基础上,本文提出了一些促进企业集群发展的政策建议。     

To innovate or to transfer?

FDI has been considered by many development economists as an important channel for transfer of technology to developing countries. It is suggested that modern, advanced technologies introduced by multinational firms can diffuse to domestic firms through spillovers. In this paper, we study innovation and technology transfer activities of domestic and foreign firms in Turkish manufacturing industries, and the impact of horizontal, vertical and labor spillovers on these activities. Our analysis shows that foreign firms are more innovative than their domestic counterparts, and transfer technology from abroad (mostly from their parent companies). Horizontal spillovers from foreign firms seem to be insignificant. The effects of foreign firms on technological activities of other firms in vertically related industries are ambiguous. High-tech suppliers tend to have a high rate of innovation when the share of foreign users is high, but the opposite is true for users: high-tech users supplied mainly by foreign firms tend to have a lower rate of innovation. Labor turnover is found to be the main channel of spillovers. Our findings reiterate the importance of tacitness of knowledge, and confirm that technology cannot easily be transferred through passive mechanisms.     

Theories of the firm, competitive advantage and government policy

To improve the effectiveness of government policy, it is necessay to develop a good picture of what a firms in a knowledge-intensive economy is and does. In this paper, we have drawn on the recent surge of books and articles on the resource- and knowledge-based theories of the firm and their implications for competitive advantage. We would like to contribute to that discussion summarizing that debate and exploring the implications for government policy. In new theories of the firm, emphasis is placed on the crucial importance of knowledge, a production factor which is not easily imitated. Exampb of government policy which are based on these new inskhts are the recognition of the importance of demanding clients, the emphasis on the unique potential of the local business environment and the stimulation of transfer of knowledge between firms and networks instead of subsidizing project for knowledge development in isolated firms. A more realistic view of business behaviour will improve the effectiveness of policy, thereby generally improving the competitive position of firms.     

外商直接投资与管理知识溢出效应:来自中国民营企业家的证据

本文从民营企业家的角度对FDI管理知识溢出效应的存在性进行了实证研究。我们运用中国 1 997、2 0 0 0、2 0 0 2年三次全国民营企业抽样调查数据 ,通过回归分析、TreatmentEffect方法和有限因变量模型 ,研究了中国民营企业家在“三资”企业工作的经历对其企业的经营业绩和管理方法的影响。本文所得到的经验结果显示 ,在企业业绩的最终表现上 ,FDI对中国企业家有一定的培训效果 ,但效果不十分显著 ;同时在“三资”企业的工作经历会带给民营企业家某些、而不是全面的先进管理理念。我们认为要获得更加显著的FDI溢出效应 ,政府应当着眼于制定政策来扶持本地企业 ,通过公平竞争缩小他们与先进企业的距离 ,促使FDI在激烈的市场竞争中带来真正先进的管理经验和知识 ;并通过教育培训投入 ,提高本地管理者对外来的先进管理方法的学习能力。     

企业的研发外包:一个综述

企业在研发外包的过程中通常会面临着由合同的不完全性、知识的非独占性以及累积性创新的不完全替代性所带来的各类成本,而研发外包之所以能够更多地进行是因为在现实操作中存在着缓解这类成本的治理机制。在此基础上,本文以企业为主要参考点通过文献综述重点考察了作为治理机制的研发外包的最优组织形式,研发外包中的合同设计以及公共政策层面和企业层面的知识产权保护措施。尽管上述不同层面上的知识产权保护措施在一定程度上可以缓解信息泄漏问题,但知识产权保护强度的增加并不一定就能够促进企业更多地进行研发外包。为此,本文还考察了知识产权保护强度与企业研发外包决策的关系。     

中国上市公司治理结构的实证研究

我国上市公司的市场价值与其治理结构有无联系?投资者愿为治理良好的公司付出多大的溢价?本文旨在对上述两大问题进行全面和系统的实证研究,揭示当前上市公司存在的治理弊病,为建立具有中国特色的公司治理体系提供依据。为此,我们充分考虑了公司治理的内外部机制,并结合中国的市场环境,归纳出一系列变量来描述公司治理在我国的具体实践。基于这个变量体系,我们运用主元因素分析法编制了一个可反映上市公司治理水平的综合指标——G指标。我们的实证研究发现:( 1 )治理水平高的企业其市场价值也高;( 2 )投资者愿为治理良好的公司付出相当可观的溢价。     

Does different NPD project’s characteristics lead to the establishment of different NPD networks? A knowledge perspective

In today’s highly competitive and globalised marketplace, firms need more and more to develop new knowledge and capabilities to leave behind their competitors, thus gaining market share. Knowledge is fundamental for success because a firm that knows more, often develops more sustainable competitive advantage. Networks, like those oriented to New Product Development, seem to be valuable means of learning, as firms could not achieve alone the same results, or at least not as quickly. Through this integrative systematic review, we are interested in understanding whether different New Product Development projects correspond to different New Product Development networks in terms of knowledge exchanged among the partners involved. Our results highlight the presence of four types of New Product Development networks deriving from the combination of the degree of innovation characterising the project and its mode of development. Implications and future research are also proposed.     

集群企业间知识转移策略——基于演化博弈理论的分析

基于演化博弈理论,构建了集群企业间知识转移的演化博弈模型,分析了集群企业间知识转移实现的动态过程和影响因素。研究结果显示:当企业从知识转移中获得的超额收益大于其支付成本时,最终会出现稳定的知识转移策略;通过增加差异化知识资源量、提高企业选择知识转移策略的概率、知识资源显性程度和企业间信任度,可促进博弈过程中更快实现知识转移。     

The Transfer of Resources and Competencies for Developing Technological Capabilities - The Case of Fujitsu-ICL

In the management literature and the literature on technology transfer, it is widely acknowledged that learning in general, and the leveraging of knowledge throughout firms in particular, is important. However, there appears little systematic evidence of what technology and knowledge is transferred between organizations and how this occurs. The literature also tends to neglect how firms use such technology/knowledge transfer to cultivate appropriate technological capabilities. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by examining the successful exchange of resources and competencies between Fujitsu and ICL, and how it helped to extend the technological capabilities of both firms. It traces the evolution of the relationship from that of a loose technology-sharing agreement to that of sustained project collaboration and partnership. This relationship proved to be enduring, and provides a road map for firms engaged in technology/knowledge transfer to develop their indigenous technological capabilities.     

Boundary spanning leadership,resource mobilisation,and performance of university-industry R&D projects: a study in a Japanese university

Acquisition of university knowledge has grown significantly for firms to complement an internal knowledge base of technological innovation. Recognising the significance, an increasing body of literature has analysed the performance of university-industry R&D projects by adopting managerial and social approaches. Despite the important role played by project leaders, existing research paid scant attention to the critical ability and quality of successful project leaders in acquiring university knowledge. To address these limitations, this study performed a survey of firms that collaborated with the Ritsumeikan University in Japan and investigates the influence of boundary spanning leadership of project leaders in firms on both knowledge and commercial performance of R&D projects. Furthermore, it also evaluates the mediation effect of university resource mobilisation that links boundary spanning leadership and project performance.     

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND THE GOVERNANCE OF KNOWLEDGE: RETHINKING THE RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF CORPORATE COHERENCE

Abstract

Corporate governance and the governance of knowledge were for a long time distinct fields of analysis. Reasons for this incompatibility are linked to the restricted vision of corporate governance supported by shareholder value which essentially refers to information rather than knowledge. In this paper, we argue that other visions of corporate governance exist which are also closer to knowledge dynamics and knowledge governance problems. We elaborate thus on the possible reconciliation between corporate governance and the governance of knowledge. We sustain that each key actor (the manager and the investor) embodies a piece of diversified and localized knowledge related to his/her specific domain and field of experience, and these different modules of knowledge have to be recombined by an appropriate mode of corporate governance that stimulates corporate development. In this perspective, the reconciliation really appears essential since managers, by defining and selecting innovative processes, and investors, by determining the money that is invested to sustain these processes, both take part in the creation and governance of new knowledge by the firm. We show that this reconciliation can be based on the notion of corporate coherence of the cognitive firm that allows replacing the conventional conflicting vision of corporate governance by a new vision based on cooperation between managers and investors that collectively contribute to corporate development and coherence.     

Dynamics of industry architecture and firms’ knowledge and capability development: an empirical study of industry transformation

There is a lack of empirical evidence supporting existing conceptualisations and particularly clarifying the underlying mechanisms involved in the role of dominant firms in industry transformation. This research undertook an in-depth single case study of how a firm managed its knowledge and capability development processes to shape the industry architecture to its benefit. We investigated how a dominant firm manipulates the interdependencies with local suppliers and positions itself at higher levels of the industry architecture hierarchy. Findings suggest that such processes take place over the course of several product innovation projects and across different levels of the product architecture. Such findings contribute to helping firms to manage their knowledge and capability development processes and transform the industry architecture to their advantage.     

THE GOVERNANCE OF KNOWLEDGE COMPOSITENESS AND TECHNOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IN EUROPE

Abstract

Knowledge compositeness measures the variety of scientific disciplines that it is necessary to command in order to generate new technological knowledge. The paper investigates the relations between the knowledge compositeness of the flow of patents delivered to the main European automobile companies and the evolution of their technological and product market shares. Compositeness confirms to be an important characteristic of private knowledge: its governance exerts strong and positive effects on the technological and competitive advantage of firms. Knowledge compositeness has strong effects on the mechanisms of knowledge governance and management of technology. Appropriate measures of knowledge compositeness make it possible to qualify the quantitative measures of the technological competence of firms based upon patents counts.