Cross‐border M&As by Chinese firms: An analysis of strategic motives and performance

This article considers the strategic motivation and performance of Chinese cross‐border mergerand‐ acquisition (M&A) activities of 27 deals that took place in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets in 2000–2004. The study finds that cross‐border M&As formation by Chinese firms are primarily motivated by market development (that is, increasing market share) to enable faster entry into new markets, promote diversification, and obtain foreign advanced technology and other resources. In terms of wealth creation, the study finds that cross‐border M&As create value for Chinese acquiring firms. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An Analysis of Technologically Radical Innovation and Breakthrough Patents

Abstract

Breakthrough innovations – commonly defined by innovations with patents surpassing a critical threshold of forward citations – generate benefits for innovators, businesses, and society. Analyzing more than five million patents and citations from 1976 to 2017, this paper adds to the existing literature by examining whether the radicalness of a patented good – that is, the more technology classes cited as contributing prior arts not identified in the patent’s own technology identity – impacts the likelihood an innovation is a breakthrough. In essence, the paper tests the common belief that it is beneficial to “think outside the box” when innovating. The results show that increased radicalness increases the likelihood of a breakthrough up to a certain threshold, after which increased radicalness decreases the likelihood of a breakthrough. Additionally, established innovators and university ownership of a patent each extend the range for which increased radicalness increases the probability of a breakthrough, while joint patent ownership decreases the range.     

知识管理视角下国际新创企业的国际化过程特征研究

国际新创企业的国际化过程具有激进性特征,包括四种基本形式:地域激进性、方式激进性、职能激进性和业务激进性.文章在知识管理的基础上融合新兴的企业国际化理论,对国际新创企业国际化过程的激进性特征作出解释;对企业家的个体知识、企业的组织知识和组织间(国际化网络中的)知识与国际新创企业国际化过程特征的关系进行更深入的理论探讨,并提出一些理论命题供以后实证研究参考.     

Enhancing performance of cross-border mergers and acquisitions in developed markets: The role of business ties and technological innovation capability

This study examines the determinants of performance of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (cross-border M&As) in developed markets initiated by firms from emerging markets. Drawing on social network theory and organizational innovation literature, we hypothesize that business ties of the acquiring firm increase performance of cross-border M&As via enhancing the acquiring firm's technological innovation capability and that environmental turbulence strengthens this mediating model. Moreover, the interplay of cultural distance and technological innovation capability would decrease performance of cross-border M&As. To test the model, we collected data from 186 Chinese firms initiating cross-border M&As in developed markets. As predicted, we found that (1) technological innovation capability of the acquiring firm positively mediates the relationship between business ties and performance of cross-border M&As; (2) environmental turbulence positively moderates the relationship between business ties and technological innovation capability; and (3) cultural distance negatively moderates the relationship between technological innovation capability and performance of cross-border M&As.     

区域创新环境与创新能力的系统性研究——基于省际数据的经验证据

文章运用权威和综合的创新能力体系指标数据,从区域层面的独特视角,系统地研究了创新环境对创新能力的影响及创新能力体系中知识创造、知识获得对知识应用的影响两个密切关联的重要问题。研究发现:目前创新环境中,基础设施水平、市场需求、劳动力素质、金融环境对创新能力有正面促进作用,而创新水平对创新能力没有显著影响。其中,市场需求和劳动力素质对区域创新能力的影响最为重要,金融环境和基础设施水平对创新能力有显著的影响,但比重相对较低。创新能力体系中,目前我国主要靠科技合作、技术转移和外国直接投资等方式的知识获得促进知识应用,而原创性的知识创造对促进企业科技创新能力的影响不显著。     

Organizational innovation,technological innovation,and export performance: The effects of innovation radicalness and extensiveness

This study focuses on the relevance of different types of innovation for firms’ export performance. Despite ample research on the innovation–performance relationship, previous studies have mainly focused on technological innovations, leaving the effects of organizational innovations relatively unexplored. Hypotheses on the relationship between organizational and technological innovations and firm export performance are tested by structural equation modelling using data from 218 Swedish export ventures. The results indicate that organizational innovation enhances export performance both directly and indirectly by sustaining technological innovation. Moreover, by fine-graining our analysis of the mediating role of technological innovation, according to its radicalness and extensiveness, for organizational innovation, we show how the latter enhances both the radicalness and extensiveness of technological innovation although, notably, only extensiveness is actually beneficial for export performance. This study helps alleviate the scarcity of research examining the links among different types of innovation in relation to export performance and contributes to international business and marketing literature by generating new evidence regarding the mechanisms through which organizational and technological innovations may improve export performance.     

Option Nature of Company Acquisitions Motivated by Competence Acquisition

The small business establishment is increasingly regarded as growth option creation. It is generally believed that a country will prosper if a sufficient number of small, technology-based companies are established to provide options for the development of new industries. Despite the general belief, empirical evidence concerning the conception of "small businesses as growth options" is yet non- existent. This paper tries to fill this gap by examining empirically the option nature of collaboration and acquisitions through an analysis of 111 small, technology-based company acquisitions. As a result, somewhat contrary to the earlier research, collaborative arrangements were not found to be used as options to acquire small, technology-based companies. Acquisitions, on the other hand, were used as options to enter a new technology or business area. The option nature of acquisitions was related to technology-based variables, such as the lower levels of maturity of the acquired competencies, possibilities to patent the acquired competencies, and the research and development intensity of the acquiring company. Growth option upside realization was found to be linked to market and cooperation-related variables: the relatedness of the acquiring and the acquired company, proactive sales motive of the seller, and favorable industry trend. The finding concerning the performance of the acquisition of related technological competencies would seem to be connected to imperfect markets of new technological competencies possessed by the acquired small businesses.     

Towards an asymmetry-based view of Chinese firms’ technological catch-up

By carefully reviewing our research and related literature, in this paper, we propose a two-stage model of Chinese firms’ technological catch-up, and provide asymmetrybased explanations. We argue that at the approaching stage, Chinese firms mainly focus on knowledge accumulation through frugal innovation for capturing local and global low-end markets; while at the pole vault stage, they focus on knowledge creation through radical innovation for capturing the high-end market. Moreover, we propose that lacking world-leading technologies but striving to achieve technological catch-up quickly, Chinese firms mainly rely on asymmetric resource and capabilities that are embedded within Chinese institutional, technological and market contexts. Turning these asymmetries into sustainable capabilities and then matching them to market opportunities by developing asymmetric innovation strategies, Chinese firms could achieve technological catch-up in a unique way.     

The Impact of Relational Variables on Value Creation in Buyer–Seller Business Relationships

Purpose: This research was aimed at attaining a deeper knowledge of how customer value creation can be improved in business markets. Although trust and commitment (as relational governance mechanisms) appear to have a positive effect on customer value creation, limited empirical evidence exists about the combined effect of the aforementioned variables on improving customer value creation. This article studies why trust and commitment are key precursors to improving customer value creation in commercial relationships among companies.

Methodology: Following a review of the literature, we introduce and contrast a conceptual model on a sample of 181 manufacturing companies located in Spain by means of a structural equation system.

Originality: The study of these causal relationships is relevant because it provides greater knowledge of the role played by the key relational variables of trust and commitment on improving customer value creation in business markets. These variables also have an important influence on the development and maintenance of a relationship in the long term and have been the focus of recent marketing research.

Findings: The empirical results reveal that: (1) distributor commitment is a direct and positive antecedent of value creation in a relationship, understood from a functionalist perspective; (2) distributor trust, the other relational variable, has an indirect effect on value creation through the distributor's commitment; and (3) this research does not tie in with previous studies that found that direct value-creating functions have a multiple-component nature representing a second-order factor.     

Towards an asymmetry-based view of Chinese firms’ technological catch-up

By carefully reviewing our research and related literature, in this paper, we propose a two-stage model of Chinese firms’ technological catch-up, and provide asymmetry-based explanations. We argue that at the approaching stage, Chinese firms mainly focus on knowledge accumulation through frugal innovation for capturing local and global low-end markets; while at the pole vault stage, they focus on knowledge creation through radical innovation for capturing the high-end market. Moreover, we propose that lacking world-leading technologies but striving to achieve technological catch-up quickly, Chinese firms mainly rely on asymmetric resource and capabilities that are embedded within Chinese institutional, technological and market contexts. Turning these asymmetries into sustainable capabilities and then matching them to market opportunities by developing asymmetric innovation strategies, Chinese firms could achieve technological catch-up in a unique way.     

传统产业集群与专业化市场发展

本文认为,传统产业集群与现代流通业特别是专业化市场之间具有明显的互动效应,传统产业集群催育专业化市场,专业化市场推进传统产业集群。在地方经济发展过程中,要注意产业发展与贸易发展的相互协调和相互配合,形成传统产业集群与专业化市场发展的协调机制。集群与企业方面,要进一步采取措施加快产品和技术创新,通过等级市场、商务网络等不断获取外部市场的信息,加强革新,改进产业和产品结构;专业化市场在建设方面,要稳步推进体制改革,走市场化道路;政府和商会方面,要转变管理职能,增强服务职能,大力营造有利于集群与流通业协调发展的环境和条件,推进市场、集群和企业的改革与创新,通过专业化市场形成基于集群的区位品牌。     

Wealth effects on cross-border acquisition firms from emerging economies

Cross-border acquisitions (CBAs), as a corporate expansion strategy, are being espoused by emerging market firms (EMFs) to overcome their competitive disadvantage at the global level. The objective of this paper is to analyse the wealth effects of cross-border acquisition announcement on the acquiring firms from emerging economies during the period of 2001–17. Wealth effects have been measured in terms of short-term change in equity prices (investors' reaction) around the public announcement of 553 and 125 overseas acquisitions by Indian and Chinese listed firms respectively. The investors' reaction to the acquisition of a foreign target has been captured using the event study methodology. Further, a disaggregated analysis has been conducted to gauge the impact of various deal-specific factors, the legal structure of the target firm and the development status of the target country on the wealth creation potential of a cross-border acquisition.Both Indian and Chinese investors have responded favourably to the announcement of international acquisitions as exhibited in significant and positive average abnormal returns of 0.71% and 0.23% respectively on the event day. Further, it is revealing to note that investors in these economies differ widely with regard to their perception pertaining to the method of payment and acquisition strategy. At the same time, the extent of wealth creation is higher when acquired firms are based in developed economies possessing high quality resources and advanced technology along with better institutional and regulatory milieu; Indian as well as Chinese markets have experienced larger abnormal returns on acquiring advanced vis-à-vis developing market firms.     

From local to global innovation: The role of subsidiaries’ external relational embeddedness in an emerging market

This study examines factors that influence the development and transformation of local innovations into global innovations from an emerging market subsidiary. We argue that subsidiaries’ relational embeddedness with the external local network is essential for the development of local innovations. Turning local innovations into global ones is the result of the level of innovativeness evoked by the subsidiary located in an emerging market. However, the transformation of local into global innovations is more likely to happen in the case of subsidiaries having previous reverse knowledge transfers in functional areas. Reverse knowledge transfers indicate internal embeddedness, which is essential for local innovation to be transformed into global innovation. We draw on survey evidence from 131 foreign subsidiaries operating in Brazil. Using a Structural Equation Modeling technique, our results support our hypotheses and show that subsidiaries’ relational embeddedness with the external local network is positively associated with local innovation, which is transformed into global innovation, especially when innovation is developed in the subsidiary´s functional areas with previous reverse knowledge transfers. We draw implications for the field of subsidiary management research, specifically to understand the role of local innovation from foreign subsidiaries in emerging markets.     

Innovation performance: The effect of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities in cross-country innovation ecosystems

This study operationalizes the knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDC) that act as drivers of innovation performance in innovation ecosystems, across different market economies. Innovation ecosystems facilitate the flow of resources to transform ideas into reality. In turn, KBDC provide a means to create and share expertise, which contributes to the diversification of the economy, and allow businesses to reach beyond their own boundaries to create value for customers in new ways. Employing partial least squares path analysis, four constructs, namely knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, knowledge absorption and knowledge impact, are comparatively analyzed. Across all four constructs, knowledge creation is the biggest driver of innovation performance, and the strongest predictor of innovation performance in developed and developing market economies. Knowledge absorption is the strongest predictor of innovation performance in transition economies. A KBDC-centered innovation ecosystem framework is proposed to highlight the innovation performance and competitive advantage inherent in each knowledge-related capability.     

A Welcome Revolution in Innovation

This review considers a major new book on von Hippel’s concept of user innovation. Von Hippel’s work has led to a welcome revolution in the economics of innovation. When producers are the innovators, there is an important difference in the interests of innovators and users. This can lead to dysfunctional innovation, especially in mature markets that are monopolised. In contrast, when users innovate, there are no such problems, as the innovator and the user are the same. User innovation can help enhance the power of innovation in wealth creation, and this edited collection helps to establish user innovation as a fully fledged field of the economics of innovation.     

基于SVM模型下的河南科技创新指标体系的识别与实证研究

基于SVM下的创新识别模式为视角,立足于河南企业科技创新能力评价的实际需求,构建河南科技创新能力评价模型。SVM在解决小样本、非线形及高维模式识别问题具有独特优势,主要从知识创造能力、知识获取能力、企业创新能力、创新环境、创新绩效等识别指标,建立科学的评价指标体系,对河南企业的科技创新能力进行客观而准确的测度和评价。实证研究表明：支持向量机在河南科技创新能力识别中的效果良好,表现出SVM对有限样本的良好泛化能力,足见SVM方法的科学性、合理性和前瞻性。     

Predictive and effectual decision-making in high-tech international new ventures – A matter of sequential ambidexterity

This study investigates the international opportunity exploration and exploitation processes of high technology international new ventures (INVs) operating in the global medical devices sector. Drawing upon the effectuation and causation perspectives, we contribute to the micro-foundations of international entrepreneurship research in the early innovation development space by focusing on decision-making logics of techno-entrepreneurs of INVs. Specific focus is afforded to the phases of their exploration and exploitation of international opportunities leading to international new venture creation. In the pre-start-up and start-up stages of international new ventures, we find that sequential ambidexterity applies to how the subject firms manage the exploration and exploitation of opportunities in the delivery of their innovations to global markets.This research advances prior international entrepreneurship studies by focusing on the opportunity and innovation processes on the individual level. We identify different decision-making logics in the different phases and contrary to earlier findings in the international entrepreneurship (IE) area, we found causation logic to dominate the initial stages of exploration and effectuation logic, in the latter stages. Prior commercial experience presented itself as a key determining factor in the decision-making path chosen by international techno-entrepreneurs. Our study further extends the view of organizational ambidexterity by offering empirical insights into the relevance of sequential ambidexterity for understanding the processes of innovation exploration and exploitation in high-tech INVs and the decision-making logics driving these processes.     

Nanotechnologies and Green Knowledge Creation: Paradox or Enhancer of Sustainable Solutions?

By exploring whether nanotechnologies have the potential to generate green innovations, we consider the paradox between the negative and positive side-effects that could come with the development of nanotechnologies. Starting from the conceptual framework of green product innovation, the potential green innovation activity of more than 14,000 firms of the nanotech sector is investigated. Using a query-search method, their patenting activity is explored. Results first show that there is an increasing trend toward the creation of fundamental green knowledge by firms involved in nanotechnologies; second, they demonstrate that energy efficiency is the main driver of green knowledge creation in the sector and third they reveal the main characteristics of nanotech firms creating green knowledge. Beyond their contribution to the debate between positive and negative outcomes of nanotechnology developments, these results also enrich the conceptual framework of green product innovation—a key route to achieving sustainability at the same time as growth.     

Knowledge of Inter-customer Relations as a Source of Value Creation and Commitment in Financial Service Firm's Intermediation

This paper develops a knowledge perspective on value creation in organisations that employ mediating technology to facilitate inter-customer relations. Mediators, individually and collectively, build networks of customers between whom linking can take place, and they provide services that facilitate inter-customer exchanges. Earlier research has shown the importance of size and standardisation in mediation. A different stream of research has shown that contextual knowledge is important for problem solving and innovation in organisations. Combining theories of mediating technology and situated problem solving, the paper posits that inter-customer relations constitute the fundamental context for value creation of firms using the mediating technology. LISREL is used to test relationship-level, cross-sectional hypotheses that link knowledge of inter-customer relationships, added value, and customer commitment to bank services for small firms. This work extends Thompson's work on mediating technology with implications for organisation action by demonstrating that mediators' knowledge of inter-customer relationships is an important resource in intermediation. Three contributions are made to strategic management and organisation theory. First, the paper provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between knowledge and committed customers. Second, fundamental resources are developed for firms using mediating technology. Finally, the use of the situated knowledge concept is extended to inter-customer relations, thus explaining performance beyond the contexts to which the concept has previously been applied. The findings have implications for segmentation practices, organisation domain decisions and the corresponding organisational structures, and practices that can provide effective service to inter-customer relations rather than to atomistic independent customers.     

基于SNS的企业群体知识创新交互研究

群体知识创新是目前知识创新发展的重要方式,SNS为促进知识创新提供了虚拟网络环境。本文介绍了SNS的特点,分析了当前技术环境下群体学习模式的变化以及群体交互学习与企业知识创新的关系,提出了企业群体行为的概念结构,构建了基于SNS的群体学习交互机制。