Mining the R&D innovation performance processes for high-tech firms based on rough set theory

The research and development (R&D) innovation of firms continues to be viewed as an important source of competitive advantage to academics and practitioners. To explore and extract the R&D innovation decision rules, it is important to understand how the R&D innovation rule-base works. However, many studies have not yet adequately induced and extracted the decision rule of R&D innovation and performance based on the characteristics and components of the original data rather than on post-determination models. The analysis of this study is grounded in the taxonomy of induction-related activities using a rough set theory approach or rule-based decision-making technique to infer R&D innovation decision rules and models linking R&D innovation to sales growth. The rules developed using rough set theory can be directly translated into a path-dependent flow network to infer decision paths and parameters. The flow network graph and cause-and-effect relationship of decision rules are heavily exploited in R&D innovation characteristics. In addition, an empirical case of R&D innovation performance will be illustrated to show that the rough sets model and the flow network graph are useful and efficient tools for building R&D innovation decision rules and providing predictions. We will then illustrate that integrating the flow network graph with rough set theory can fully reflect the characteristics of R&D innovation, and, through the established model, we can obtain a more reasonable result than with artificial influence.     

Internal and External R&D: A Sample Selection Approach*

This study underlines that the decision to enter into an external R&D relationship is related to an antecedent decision to carry out R&D. This calls for an empirical approach that permits the joint analysis of the determinants of the two decisions, correcting for sample selectivity. Based on a sample of Italian manufacturing firms, the results confirm the need to adopt this approach. Another contribution made by this study is the managerial implications that can be derived from its empirical model, which provide a better understanding of the factors associated with a firm's decision to engage in R&D both independently and with external partners.     

企业研发决策、政府资助方案及最优资助配比

本文对企业和政府在企业研发决策中研发组织方式进行了理论分析,研究了不同市场和不同决策下的政府的资助方案及最优资助配比。研究发现,在独立研发的情况下,封闭市场需要政府资助诱导企业私人研发的投入,且最优配比为1:2;出口导向型市场政府资助对企业私人研发的投入无诱导作用;进口导向型市场企业无需政府资助亦会进行私人研发投入。在产学研合作的情况下,封闭市场中支付学研机构的研发费用率k和政府资助s满足(1+s)(1-k)=1.5时达最优资助配比。     

Stratified network mapping decision making technique based decision support framework for R&D budget allocation in South Korea

In this research work, we proposed and developed a stratified network mapping (SNM) decision making method and used it to improve the industry–university specialization in R&D in each region selected in this study. The proposed method considers the influence of criteria on and their priority in alternatives performance evaluation process. By analyzing the influence of these criteria on decision-making, we can easily improve the performance of alternatives. The SNM gives a clear understanding of each alternatives performance efficiency level. It explores possible and inefficient states and high-level influence states in inefficient states. Narrowly using multi-criteria decision-making methods to rank alternatives does not improve the performance of alternatives. The proposed method helps rank alternatives and improve the performance level of alternatives in each state. We analyzed the R&D investment of central and local governments of South Korea. It is an attempt to invigorate and facilitate R&D collaboration using a decision support model. We analyzed industry–academia research networks and enhanced the efficiency of the research.     

Dynamics in research joint ventures and R&D collaborations

We investigate the short- and long-term effects of different types of R&D collaborations on firms, consumers, and the industry. To that end, we consider a differentiated-product market in which firms compete à la Bertrand and invest in process innovation in order to lower the production cost over time. Investments are stochastic and there can be cartelization or competition strategies among firms at the moment of making the decision on the amount to invest in R&D. Our results show that in equilibrium, the long-run welfare is larger under a research joint venture than under other environments. Discounted present value profits increase with the level of the spillover but there are asymmetries that depend on the firms’ asymmetry on marginal costs.     

Family management,family succession,and R&D investment: An empirical study

Using data from the statements issued by A-share family firms listed on Chinese stock markets between 2008 and 2019, this paper explores the impacts of family management and family succession on R&D investment. We draw on the perspective of restricted and extended socioemotional wealth and differentiate exploitative R&D and explorative R&D in a detailed study. The study finds that the proportion of family members among board members or senior executives and the kinship of the CEO or chair of the board of directors have different effects on R&D investment, indicating that a diversity exists in how family members identify their role within the company. Furthermore, the participation of the controller’s children in the enterprise can promote explorative R&D investment instead of exploitative R&D, but only during the process of intergenerational succession. The findings differ from prior research in calling attention to the facts that the impact of family management is not always homogeneous owing to the dispersion of family members into different positions, and it can be misleading to conclude that R&D investment is more conservative in family businesses without considering the structure of R&D investment.

     

R&D,Interindustry and International Technology Spillovers and the Total Factor Productivity Growth of Manufacturing Industries in Canada, 1974-1989

The paper presents new econometric evidence on the relationship between total factor productivity growth and the R&D expenditures of Canadian manufacturing industries in the presence of interindustry and international spillovers of technology. In contrast to studies that presume that international spillovers are incorporated in imports of intermediate and/or capital equipment goods, the present paper assumes that the principal channel of transmission of new technology is foreign direct investment. Three original proxies for international spillovers use information on patenting, the size and the origin of foreign ownership in the host country and the R&D expenditures in the country of origin. The results suggest that the nexus between industry's own R&D expenditures and the TFP growth is significant and positive, especially for the process-related R&D. Domestic interindustry spillovers of new technology have a larger effect on TFP than industry's own R&D expenditures. All three proxies for international technology spillovers are associated positively and significantly with TFP growth. However, international spillovers contribute to TFP growth less than domestic interindustry spillovers and less than own process-related R&D.     

Budgeting for research and development: a dynamic financial simulation approach

The research and development (R&D) budgeting decision is crucial for at least two reasons: if too much is spent, short-term financial stability is at risk, while, if the budget is too small, long-term competitiveness is threatened. Nevertheless, many enterprises simply extrapolate the past without further reflection.This paper presents a computer-based dynamic stochastic simulation model that allows one to assess the impact of alternative R&D budgeting policies on corporate development. The core decisions to be evaluated concern timing and funding of investments in R&D. Our approach substantially expands earlier work by Brockhoff (R&D Manage. 19 (1989) 265). In particular, it distinguishes between product and process innovation, considers market dynamics related to technical progress via a modifiable S-curve, integrates marketing, and takes into account essential financial aspects. As a result, our model is closer to reality than previous ones. A sample application with real company data illustrates its potential usage.     

Towards a New Conceptualization of Innovation in Space: Territorial Patterns of Innovation

This article investigates the way in which regions innovate. Its conceptual framework departs from the simple notion that scientific activities equate with knowledge, which assumes that the presence of local knowledge produced by research centres, universities and firms is a necessary and sufficient condition for increasing the innovative capacities in local firms, fed by local spillovers. In particular, the paradigmatic jump in interpreting regional innovation processes lies in a conceptual framework interpreting not a single phase of the innovation process, but the different modes of performing different phases of the innovation process. This article conceptually identifies different territorial patterns of innovation and highlights the context conditions (internal and external to the region) that accompany each innovation pattern. Based on this debate, I express some doubts on the usefulness of EU policy aims for achieving a figure of 3% of the EU's GDP (public and private) to be invested in R&D/innovation and instead strongly support normative suggestions towards thematically and regionally focused innovation policies.     

On the use of risk analysis for the evaluation of industrial R&D expenditures

This paper focuses on a particular aspect of the R&D decision process, i.e. the screening of alternative projects at the firm level. A review of the traditional methods of risk analysis, based on two-parameter measures of risk and return, strongly suggests that they are unable to capture the essential skewed nature of R&D decisions due to the underlying assumption of normal distributions. Fortunately, the availability of alternative models based on ‘distribution free’ methods has significantly increased our ability to evaluate highly skewed returns. This paper sets out, in some detail, the case of using one such model, the stochastic dominance paradigm, to screen R&D proposals.     

Capitalizing Research & Development: Signaling or Earnings Management?

This paper analyzes the capitalization of Research & Development (R&D) expenditures under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Discretionary R&D capitalization can be exercised by managers to signal private information on future economic benefits to the market. It can, however, also serve as opportunistic earnings management. We analyze a unique, hand-collected sample of highly R&D intensive German IFRS firms during 1998–2012. We find that market values are not associated with capitalized R&D for the overall sample, indicating that earnings management may be a concern. We identify firm-years for which R&D capitalization is possibly used for pushing their earnings above a specific threshold (e.g. analysts' forecasted earnings, prior year's earnings). Our results show that both the decision to capitalize and how much to capitalize are strongly associated with benchmark beating. Consistently, we find that market values are negatively associated with capitalized R&D for firms who are likely to use capitalization for benchmark beating (about one third of the overall sample). On the other hand, the market values R&D capitalization positively for well-performing firms, for which capitalizing does not matter to beat an earnings benchmark (about half of the overall sample). This finding is robust to controls for endogeneity, various deflators, and different measures for earnings management.     

股权激励如何驱动企业研发支出？——基于股权激励异质性的视角

股权激励被视为解决研发支出中代理冲突的重要工具,但现有经验证据并不稳定甚至相互矛盾。基于股权激励异质性的视角,本文引入新的股权激励特征——股权激励价值的股价及股价波动率敏感性,考察股权激励对企业研发支出的驱动机制,并利用2006-2012年我国实施股权激励的上市公司作为样本进行检验。研究发现:股权激励对企业研发支出的驱动机制包含风险规避效应与激励效应两个相反维度,最终驱动方向与强度取决于两类效应的博弈;限制性股票的风险规避效应显著强于股票期权;股票期权的激励效应显著强于限制性股票;市场竞争程度、企业产权性质与授予动机对限制性股票与股票期权的两类效应产生调节作用。     

Explaining Firms’ Export Behaviour: R&D,Spillovers and the Destination Market*

We examine the importance of a firm's own R&D activity and intra‐sectoral spillovers on the decision to export and the export intensity using firm level panel data for Spain for the period 1990–98. Own R&D activity is found to be an important determinant of export activity. There is little evidence to suggest that Spanish firms benefit from spillovers of the exporting activity of others. However, there is evidence that R&D spillovers exert positive effects on firms’ export ratios. We find a larger marginal impact of R&D spillovers on export intensity of firms exporting to other OECD countries than those exporting to non‐OECD nations.     

The effect of researchers' interdisciplinary characteristics on team innovation performance: evidence from university R&D teams in China

This study examines the effect of researchers' characteristics on the performance of R&D teams. Based on the multi-perspective of organization behavior and knowledge management, the authors adopt the framework of ‘Input-Process-Output’ regarding the process of the R&D team as knowledge creation. The theoretical model and corresponding hypotheses were tested empirically, drawing on a sample of 80 R&D teams from four universities in China. We concluded that knowledge communication, sharing, and integration play very important mediated roles in the knowledge creation process of the R&D team. Though researchers might have differing opinions on interdisciplinary research, they still tend toward communication and sharing their knowledge, experience, and viewpoints in the R&D process; this is an essential means for the achievement of knowledge integration. In order to achieve high innovation performance, management should pay attention to the process of knowledge communication, sharing, and integration.     

Human resource practices and individual knowledge-sharing behavior – an empirical study for Taiwanese R&D professionals

Knowledge sharing is of central importance for the research and development (R&D) process. Because the process is extremely complicated and an employee possesses expertise only in a specific area, knowledge will not be available to others until the owner makes the objects of the knowledge available. It is, therefore, valuable to investigate how R&D professionals share knowledge with one another. This study explores the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and individual knowledge sharing in Taiwan's high-tech industries. The cross-sectional dataset comes from a sample of 368 R&D professionals from nine different high-tech companies. The findings indicate that the factor representing the perceived self-efficacy of knowledge sharing plays a very important role in the integrated knowledge-sharing model we developed. R&D professionals who believe that sharing will influence their performance will be more willing to share knowledge, and thus an effective sharing of knowledge will be more likely to take place. The results also show that HR practices, incentive compensation plans, performance appraisal systems, and face-to-face communication foster knowledge sharing among R&D professionals through the mediation of perceived self-efficacy and the willingness of knowledge sharing.     

Project evaluation and organizational form

In situations of imperfect testing and communication, as suggested by Sah and Stiglitz (AER, 1986), organizational forms can be identified with different rules of aggregating evaluations of individual screening units. In this paper, we discuss the relative merits of polyarchical organizations versus hierarchical organizations in evaluating cost-reducing R&D projects when individual units' decision thresholds are fully endogenous. Contrary to the results of Sah and Stiglitz, we find that the relative merit of an organizational form depends on the curvature of the screening functions of the individual evaluation units. We find that for certain parameters organizations would want to implement asymmetric decision rules across screening units. This allows us to derive sufficient conditions for a polyarchy to dominate a hierarchy. We also find conditions for which the cost curves associated with the two organizational forms cross each other. In this case the optimal organizational form will depend on product market conditions and on the “lumpiness” of cost-reducing R&D.     

基于实物期权法对R&D项目价值评估的研究——对布莱克-舒尔斯定价模型的改进

针对R&D项目投资的特点,探讨了采用布莱克一舒尔斯期权定价模型对R&D项目价值评估可能存在的缺陷,并提出一种改进方法,即将决策树和布莱克一舒尔斯定价模型结合运用,因为决策树能够模拟研发项目的阶段性决策过程,考虑到多个离散型不确定性因素的相关性,模拟并计算出对决策路径依赖的现金流,因此能克服纯粹使用布莱克一舒尔斯公式的不足,在考虑多个不确定性因素的影响下,实现对多阶段R&D项目价值的评估,作出正确的投资决策。     

Antecedents to ambidexterity competency in high technology organizations

High tech organizations confront dual demands of exploring new products/processes and exploiting existing products/processes. Research shows that ambidextrous organizations can better manage these dual demands, but our understanding of the antecedents that lead to ambidexterity is still emerging. In addition, previous research has taken a piecemeal approach to understand ambidexterity and does not fully consider its multilevel nature. This research takes a multilevel perspective and argues that a competency in ambidexterity involves three capabilities at different organizational levels: decision risk (strategic level), structural differentiation (project level), and contextual alignment (meso level). After correcting for endogeneity we empirically examine the relationship between these antecedents and ambidexterity competency by collecting multi-level data from 34 high tech business units and 110 exploration and exploitation R&D projects. The results indicate that decision risk and contextual alignment affect ambidexterity competency for high tech organizations. Structural differentiation does not affect ambidexterity competency but has mixed effects on R&D project performance.     

Making sense of innovation by R&D and non-R&D innovators in low technology contexts: A forgotten lesson for policymakers

This paper attempts to use an integrated theory based on the framework of a firm's internal and external sources of knowledge to analyze how R&D activities differ in innovation from non-R&D activities, especially in the context of low and medium-low tech (LMT) sectors where most of the firms are SMEs. Simultaneously, the paper also explores the key differences between R&D and non-R&D innovators. The empirical analysis is based on a representative panel of 2023 Spanish manufacturing firms from the Spanish Ministry of Industry for 2005 and 2006. Innovation in product and process is explained using non-R&D variables such as marketing, design or the hiring of tertiary degree employees. Only innovation in product is explained by R&D expenditures. Regarding innovation in process, the R&D variables work in a few specific cases. Therefore, innovation can be explained using non-R&D variables. The firms with more internal resources, those which conduct R&D activities, present a better absorptive capacity (AC) and this leads them to engage in cooperation agreements and to access external flows of knowledge. The paper has important implications for policymakers due to the fact that most policies for R&D are based just on R&D programmes.     

Performance evaluation of China's high-tech innovation process: Analysis based on the innovation value chain

The Chinese high-tech industry has developed greatly since the beginning of China's “National High-tech R&D (863) Program” and “China Torch Program”. This paper introduces a conceptual model extended from the innovation value chain model to simultaneously estimate the R&D and commercialization efficiencies for the high-tech industries of 29 provincial-level regions in China. To match reality, a network DEA incorporating both shared inputs and additional intermediate inputs is constructed to open the “black box” view of decision making units used in single-stage DEA. This study is the first attempt to link the R&D and commercialization with a solid theoretical foundation and feasible mathematical methods. The empirical findings show that most of the 29 regions have low efficiency in the commercialization sub-process compared to the R&D sub-process, although there are regional differences in China's high-tech industry. Pearson correlation shows that the R&D sub-process is not closely correlated to the commercialization sub-process in terms of efficiency. Our analysis can provide information for the formulation of policies to achieve high innovation efficiency.