Building Innovation Networks: Issues of Strategy and Expertise

This article investigates the role of networks in new product development by reporting on a contemporary case study of a firm in the defence electronics sector. A specific focus is the development and ongoing management of a network that comprises a number of formal inter-firm strategic alliances. The paper begins by reviewing earlier literature on technology strategies for innovation that has identified a key role for inter-firm networking in the organization and management of new product development. We then consider the related issue of the relevant management expertise, which enables firms to adopt a network approach to their strategy for innovation by developing a competence in the process of network building. In this particular case study the critical issue centred upon the extent of the internal resources in terms of time and personal effort that was devoted to building trust and actively managing various inter-firm relationships over time. The article concludes that while inter-firm networking can facilitate new product development across firm boundaries, it is not a panacea for success. Whilst financially successful in terms of product and market development, the networking strategy has also set up problems within the particular case study firm in terms of resourcing and managing the very growth that has been generated.     

平台企业主导的创新生态系统稳定性研究：基于企业间网络关系视角

平台企业主导的创新生态系统作为一种特殊类型生态系统，是由平台主导企业提供基本创新架构并与其它相关企业及关联机构组成的网络组织，企业间网络关系是创新生态系统的本质特征。基于企业间网络关系分析平台企业主导的创新生态系统网络的成员、联系、结构及功能特征,讨论网络结构变量对平台企业主导的创新生态系统稳定性的影响，以山东省30个平台企业主导的创新生态系统为调研样本，通过问卷调查方式，对所提出的假设进行检验。数据相关分析和回归分析结果表明：强有力的创新生态系统主导企业、系统内伙伴企业密度、企业本地化以及企业异质性4个因素对创新生态系统稳定性具有显著正向影响；系统内伙伴企业互惠性和居间性与创新生态系统稳定性之间关系不显著。最后，基于研究结论，提出保持平台企业主导的创新生态系统网络稳定性的政策建议。     

开放式创新效能提升的制度基础:关系治理还是契约治理

开放式创新是21世纪以来理论研究和管理实践中的热点问题,然而,值得注意的是,在理论研究蓬勃发展的同时,企业实践并未实现预期效果,甚至失败率很高,这一反差不得不引起人们的反思。以往研究忽视了这样一个事实:开放式创新本质上是一种知识联盟,而联盟治理结构是联盟运行的制度基础,不同治理结构会对联盟决策权、利益格局、激励和冲突等问题产生根本影响。整合社会资本理论和交易成本理论,阐释了不同治理结构对开放式创新绩效的影响机理。运用分层线性模型,利用58家制造企业共398份问卷检验了该模型,研究结果表明:1关系治理与开放式创新绩效呈现倒U型关系;2契约治理对开放式创新绩效有倒U型影响;3在网络化程度较低的情境中,关系治理和契约治理能够相互补充,二者共同使用提升了开放式创新绩效。在网络化程度高的情况下,"软"性的关系治理与"硬"性的契约治理具有明显的替代作用,二者共同使用会显著降低开放式创新绩效,形成"软硬兼施"的负效应。     

企业模块化协同创新及网络化资源管理：基于海尔的探索性研究

首先阐述以模块化为抓手推动协同创新的理论内涵；其次以用户需求为导向，构建基于模块化的协同创新网络模型，并从生态学视角探讨网络化资源管理，形成以企业为中心、网络化资源持续优化的自组织协同创新生态圈。进一步地，采用探索性案例方法并聚焦海尔的T系列空调产品，深入分析案例企业通过模块化协同创新推动产品创新和技术升级的实践，最后讨论案例企业针对网络化资源的若干微观管理机制。研究可以为中国企业在网络化时代探索产品模块化，以及构建基于模块化的协同创新网络、管理网络化资源提供借鉴。     

面向供应商网络的企业网络化行为:多维结构探索研究

核心企业在供应商网络发展过程中起着关键作用。从核心企业个体能动性视角建立企业供应商网络化行为构念,并利用深度访谈与扎根理论研究方法捕捉企业管理实践中显现的供应商网络化行为,探索企业供应商网络化行为概念和结构维度。研究发现,企业供应商网络化行为涵盖供应商网络开发、供应商网络调适和供应商网络整合3个维度。在此基础上,进一步分析了企业供应商网络化行为的作用机制。     

结构洞度对联盟网络中企业创新绩效的影响研究

对于结构洞是否可以真正促进企业创新网络中的成员提高创新绩效,不同学者持有不同观点。在国内外相关研究文献的基础上,发现企业在联盟网络中所处的结构洞位置与局部网位置都将对企业的创新性产生影响,从而提出结构洞度概念。结合社会网络分析法与负二项回归方法,以社会网络理论为基础,以中国家用视听设备制造业企业联盟网络为研究对象,研究了企业在战略联盟网络中网络位置的结构洞度对企业创新绩效的影响。研究结果表明,企业所处联盟网络的结构洞度的确可以对企业的创新绩效产生显著促进作用,这将为企业在选择联盟伙伴时提供重要的参考依据。     

Adam Smith’s division of labor and structural changes

This paper considers two different cases of division of labor: (i) the subdivision of different operations in order to produce a particular product in a given firm or plant; (ii) the specialization of firms in the same industry. Division of labor of the former type is limited by demand for output of a particular firm or plant, while division of labor of the latter type is limited by demand for the industry as a whole. It is argued that, in the case of an industry producing a homogenous product, an increase in the scale of production of any particular firm is likely to be associated with changes in the internal division of labor. In the case of inter-firm division of labor, decreasing unit costs may result from lateral disintegration. Finally, in the case of an industry producing a composite commodity (that is, a commodity composed of many different sub-commodities), firms’, disequilibrium behavior may lead to concentration of each firm to fewer sub-commodities, in the anticipation of the entry of new firms, or as a result of it.     

知识守门者企业间领导力与产业集群升级

作为产业集群中的核心异质性主体,知识守门者对于产业集群的知识更新和开放式升级至关重要。结合联盟管理中的企业间领导力理论,从知识守门者自身知识基础、网络能力和网络位置优势探讨了其在集群中的企业间领导力形成机理。在此基础上,将知识守门者在产业集群中的领导力划分为技术领导力、平台领导力和制度领导力3个维度。此外,结合湖南新材料产业集群案例,探讨了该集群中知识守门者科力远公司的技术领导力、平台领导力和制度领导力构建途径及其对集群升级的影响,研究结果证明了理论的合理性。最后,基于理论与案例结论,提出了促进我国集群开放式升级的若干政策建议。     

Innovation strategies,process and product innovations and growth: Firm-level evidence from Brazil

Using World Bank ICS 2000–2002 data from Brazilian manufacturing firms, this paper identifies innovation strategies of firms – in particular internal development (“technology make”) and external acquisition (“technology buy)” – and their effect on successful process and product innovations. It subsequently explores the importance of process and product innovations for firm growth. Successful process and product innovations occur mostly through “technology buy” (mostly through the purchase of machinery and equipment), either alone or in combination with a “technology make” strategy. The option of only relying on internal development is less successful. The results on firm growth indicate that innovative performance is an important driver for firm growth. It is particularly the combination of product and process innovations that significantly improves firm growth. Both innovation and growth performance are supported by access to finance. Skills of workforce and management matter, but not necessarily tertiary education levels. The impact of international linkages on innovative and growth performance is mixed.     

电子商务能力、新产品开发速度与企业绩效关系研究

在移动互联网时代,新产品快速开发已成为企业保持竞争优势及获取新利润来源的重要手段。对电子商务能力、新产品开发速度与企业绩效间的作用机制进行了实证研究,并对提出的研究假设进行了检验,得到以下结果:(1)电子商务能力中的电子商务战略能力、管理能力、技术资源对新产品开发速度均有正向影响作用;(2)新产品开发速度对企业绩效有正向影响作用;(3)电子商务能力对企业绩效有正向影响作用;(4)新产品开发速度对电子商务能力与企业绩效之间关系具有中介效应。     

The impact of dual network structure on firm performance: the moderating effect of innovation strategy

ABSTRACT

Firm innovation is embedded in a collaboration network among researchers and a knowledge network composed of knowledge elements; the two networks are decoupled. Guided by social network theory, this study puts forward the definition and the classification of firm dual network structure, probes into the influence of dual network structure on firm performance, and explores the alignment between innovation strategy and firm dual network structure. We conduct an empirical study of 183 listed companies in China from 2004 to 2018. It is found that the four types of dual network structure all have positive impacts on firm performance, and the impact of a collaboration network is slightly higher than that of a knowledge network. Besides, innovation strategy plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between dual network structure and firm performance. Our findings provide new ideas for firms to identify and optimise knowledge and collaboration network structures and match them with innovation strategy to improve performance.     

Price and Quantity Competition in a Differentiated Duopoly With Network Compatibility Effects

We consider the efficiency of price and quantity competition in a network products market, where we observe product compatibility with network externalities (hereafter, network compatibility effects). In particular, if network compatibility effects between firms are sufficiently asymmetric, the Cournot equilibrium is more efficient than the Bertrand equilibrium in terms of larger consumer, producer and total surpluses. Then, we consider an endogenous choice of the strategic variables, price and quantity. If the degree of network compatibility effects of the rival firm is larger (smaller) than the degree of product substitutability, then choosing prices (quantities) is a dominant strategy for the firm. Thus, if the network compatibility effects of both firms are larger (smaller), the Bertrand (Cournot) equilibrium arises. Furthermore, if the network compatibility effects between the firms are sufficiently asymmetric, the firm with a larger (smaller) network compatibility effect than a certain level of product substitutability chooses quantities (prices). In this case, the Cournot–Bertrand equilibrium arises, which is less (more) efficient than the Cournot equilibrium in terms of consumer (producer) surplus.     

Innovation And Inter-Firm Co-Operation: The Case Of The West Midlands

Drawing upon the innovative milieux and industrial districts literature, the paper provides substantial empirical evidence that firms have a greater chance of being innovative if they co-operate with other firms over innovation, albeit undertaking no investment in RLD. This is an important result especially for small firms. In particular, the paper focuses on inter-firm cwperation along the supply chain, using a swey of firms in the West Midlands to investi-gate co-operation over innovation between suppliers and buyers. A probit model is used to test the link between innovation performance and four innovation inputs: R&D expenditure, R&D personnel, networking with suppliers and networking with client firms.     

Knowledge Management Capabilities for Steel Makers: A British-Japanese Corporate Alliance for Organizational Learning

This paper draws on a detailed case-study of a technical alliance between British Steel Strip Products (BSSP) and a leading Japanese steel company which was established to help the UK producer improve its product quality, its production control management and its customer links with Japanese car company transplants in the UK. The study is one of a series of comparisons of leading UK and Japanese manufacturing companies, from the steel, aerospace, telecoms and chemical industries. The overall project has been funded under the ESRC Innovation Programme. Evidence of the success of the alliance is illustrated in a series of graphs depicting the reduction in scrap and steel losses from particular BSSP mill sites and clear improvements in quality and productivity levels at these sites. The case-study traces these improvements back to specific management practices transferred from the Japanese producer as part of the alliance. Detailed evidence comes from the activities of 'Task Teams' which were assembled, with engineers from the Japanese companies as team members, to identify key quality problems at the mill sites and initiate procedural changes to overcome them. Using this empirical foundation the paper explores and develops a number of key concepts believed to be increasingly important within the broader analysis of organisational change and innovation at the firm level. The corporate 'capabilities' approach and 'knowledge-based' theories of the firm are brought together to help identify differences between the two firms and explain the resulting effects on company performance. The main focus in on 'knowledge management practices', including practices and procedures governing project management, inter-divisional coordination, management roles, budgeting and resource allocation, networking and information exchange, human resource development, employee motivation and so on, in each of the firms. The study highlights important differences between the two firms in terms of how specialist knowledge is developed, deployed, integrated and exploited or 'leveraged' for manufacturing innovation (quality control improvements at the mill sites). This also encourages intra-firm knowledge flows between technical support departments, R&D and production sites. The case study of the alliance represents an unusually clear illustration of how some knowledge management practices are more difficult to transfer between firms because they are more deeply 'embedded', that is, highly dependent on broader contextual factors (knowledge resources, organisational structure, culture etc.,) to operate effectively. Broader changes are more difficult to implement and usually take much longer. Moreover, as shown by other studies looking at the transferability of Japanese management practices, some changes, though leading to performance improvements, are probably not possible and/or desirable. The study therefore provides some insights into the capacity for and limits of various kinds of organisational innovation in the British firm.     

产业集群背景下的企业竞争行为的转型

产业集群促进了企业间的互动机制与知识流通,进而促进集群内企业竞争力的提高,与此同时集群内企业的行为也会发生变化。在产业集群背景下企业竞争行为发生了一系列转型:由对抗竞争向合作竞争转型、产品竞争向技术竞争转型、产品竞争向经营竞争转型。产业集群背景下促进企业竞争行为转型的途径是:进行企业行为目标的重新定位,进行企业发展战略的调整,提高企业的竞争优势。     

新产品开发的自主创新管理模式探讨

新产品开发的自主创新管理模式与企业自身条件、战略目标、资源禀赋等密不可分。将浙江省高新技术企业作为研究对象,运用因子分析得到影响企业新产品开发的三大影响因素,分别对应于3种自主创新管理模式：以战略平台为核心、以组织资本为核心、以技术能力为核心。以新产品开发为衡量标准,对这3种管理模式进行了实证分析,寻找最适合浙江省高新技术企业新产品开发的管理模式,为浙江省高新技术企业自主创新管理提供借鉴。     

Innovations and strategic management: a case study of Hitachi Ltd

Innovation has becomes the basis for creating and sustaining competitiveness. While planning strategy, it is necessary to have an excellant fit between globalization, alliances, diversification and innovation in a firm. Only such a process can help the firm to obtain synergy. The case study of Hitachi Ltd illustrates the strategic management process through which Hitachi Ltd has been able to generate and commercially exploit innovation.     

New functionality development through follower substitution for a leader in open innovation

There has been a paradigm shift to a knowledge-oriented economy in the 21st century. Consequently, there has also been a shift in where innovation typically occurs. This shift has been from the production site toward the process of product diffusion. That is, innovation occurs more frequently at the point at which a product or service is moved into the marketplace where it is immediately modified through customer interaction. In this process, new “functionality” — services, the delivery method or even product changes occur in the diffusion process. Given the need to constantly create new value through new product “functionality” or new “functionality development”, firm strategy must address the issue of how to enhance innovation at this new locus — the diffusion process. Sustainable new functionality development over time has become crucial to a firm's competitiveness. In this context, firms have to develop new functionality as early and quickly as possible; leveraging whatever innovation exists in the marketplace. According to theory, the early emergence of functionality development in this context depends on a dynamic system in which the imitator (follower) is constantly substituting for the innovator (leader). This substitution corresponds to the dynamics observed in the process referred to as “open innovation”. According to this theory, functionality development through follower substitution for a leader would be critical for a firm's competitiveness in the open innovation environment. Furthermore, open innovation could be a process for sustaining the ongoing creation of new value through functionality development maximizing limited resources. This paper attempts to demonstrate this hypothesis through an empirical analysis of this process of substitution in major innovative goods and services in Japan.     

虚拟科研组织中的知识共享管理

知识共享是组织中进行知识管理的一个重要内容,特别是对于随着时代发展应运而生的各类虚拟组织,有效的知识共享管理模式可以带来良好的组织文化,增强组织活力。在分析虚拟组织的特点及其知识粒度的基础上,提出了包括知识共享与知识创造两套机制在内的知识共享管理模式,结合国外成功案例,论证了虚拟组织中知识共享管理的必要性和有效性,并提出了科技管理,尤其是新兴的虚拟科研组织管理中的创新方法。     

The interaction effect of strategic orientations on new product performance in the high-tech industry: A nonlinear model

Innovation and market orientation are two strategic orientations or business philosophies that can guide a company in its business activities. Although the interaction effect of these two strategic orientations is conceptually recognized as a critical factor for new product's success, empirical results are mixed. This paper examines this issue in terms of innovation orientation, two types of market orientations (responsive and proactive), and new product performance. Based on a sample of 107 high-tech firms, the results of this study show that the interaction between innovation orientation and two types of market orientation yields different patterns of nonlinear responses for new product performance. Specifically, new product performance, when derived from the interaction between innovation orientation and responsive market orientation, is in the form of an inverted U, i.e., the interaction effect is contributory to firm performance until an optimal level is reached, and then the effect becomes detrimental thereafter. However, new product performance derived from innovation orientation and proactive market orientation is in the form of a U, i.e., the interaction effect is detrimental to firm performance until a threshold level is reached and then the effect becomes contributory thereafter. The different patterns of new product performance indicate that the costs and organizational learning effects of these two strategic orientation interactions are dissimilar. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications of these findings.