Technology Management in a Mature Firm: Structuration Theory and the Innovation Process

Most innovation studies focus on the activities or characteristics of individuals (agency) or on organizational attributes such as size and formalization (structure). In attempting to reconcile this agency-structure dichotomy we draw on structuration theory to examine the innovation process in detail. Structural properties (signification, domination and legitimation) are constantly reproduced from social interaction (communication, power and sanctions) by means of the modalities (interpretative schemes, facilities and norms) drawn on by knowledgeable, reflexive actors. This framework is utilized to examine the case of a mature manufacturing company in which managers and engineers were attempting to access new technologies. The data were acquired by means of a 6-year, on-going study which began in 1992 and which we suggest is essential for a thorough understanding of the innovation process.     

信息技术与组织结构:观点比较与研究展望

从上世纪50年代末期至今,关于信息技术与组织结构之间关系的研究先后出现了三种不同的理论观点,分别是技术决定论、组织决定论和技术结构化理论。技术决定论和组织决定论以结果为导向,主要考察信息技术是否是组织结构变迁的决定性因素;而技术结构化理论则以过程为导向,关注信息技术与组织结构之间复杂的互构过程。本文对这三种理论观点进行了比较,并指出了未来的研究方向。     

Intraindustry Trade and Relative Factor Endowments

This article investigates the relationship between relative factor endowments and intraindustry trade shares in bilateral trade flows. While Helpman and Krugman's theoretical framework predicts a negative relationship, empirical studies often report contrary results. We, however, argue that previous empirical studies fail to provide an exact link between the theory and the data. New empirical evidence based on the estimating equation derived directly from the theoretical framework demonstrates that the theory finds support in the data once the sums of capital–labor ratios are controlled for.     

Theorizing Borders: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

The current renewed interest in the study of borders and borderlands is paralleled by a growing concern and debate on the possibility of a border model, or models, and of a border theory, or theories. Certainly, there is a new attention to theoretical consideration and discussion that could help sharpen our understanding of borders. In this essay, I argue that a model or general framework is helpful for understanding borders, and I suggest a theory of borders. The seeds of my arguments are grounded in a variety of discussions and in the works of border scholars from a variety of social science disciplines. My contention is that the literature on borders, boundaries, frontiers, and borderland regions suggests four equally important analytical lenses: (1) market forces and trade flows, (2) policy activities of multiple levels of governments on adjacent borders, (3) the particular political clout of borderland communities, and (4) the specific culture of borderland communities. A model of border studies is presented in the second part of this essay, and I argue that these lenses provide a way of developing a model that delineates a constellation of variables along four dimensions.     

Benefits and costs of open innovation: the BeCO framework

A vast amount of studies have shown how firms embracing the open innovation paradigm tend to improve their industrial and economic performance. Somewhat surprisingly, in such established background, few studies attempted to understand whether the open innovation benefits compensate its costs. To fill this gap, this article presents a novel theoretical framework composed of twelve propositions describing the main benefits and costs of inbound and outbound open innovation modes. Such theoretical framework was tested on a sample of 96 small and medium manufacturing enterprises. While most of the identified cost and benefit classes are acknowledged by the majority of the interviewed firms, most interviewees affirmed that their firms did not suffer from costs associated with the not-invented-here syndrome and with the potential loss of competitive advantage. The results of the study have implications for both firms and scholars, which are expected to lead to future researches.     

A hybrid production structure in trade: theory and implications

In models of pure theory of international trade, no unique production structure is dominant. By grafting a specific factor structure onto a Heckscher–Ohlin framework, in a hybrid general equilibrium production model, this paper presents theoretical results with implications such as: (a) the relative price increase of a traded goods sector might have expansionary or contractionary output effect depending on factor intensities; (b) uniform primary-factor augmenting technical progress in the intermediate inputs sector might lead to a decline in the output of one of the sectors; (c) favorable relative price effect in one sector will lead to a drop in the return to the specific capital type depending on the grafted production structure. The proposed framework is useful for explaining stylized facts related to wage inequality, deindustrialization and export-processing, which have a great policy relevance for trade and development.     

企业国际化:一个理论与概念框架的文献综述

本文沿用Anderson理论与框架的区别思路,根据企业国际化研究的理论基础就企业国际化研究进行了分类与综述,然后在从变量和概念框架两个层面讨论企业国际化概念框架间联系的基础上,构建了一个综合性的企业国际化概念框架。     

Geopolitics of the Northern Dimension: A Critical View on Security Borders

The Cold War geopolitical order has crumbled. As a consequence questions related to security, borders and identity have gained momentum in European politics as well as throughout the world. This article reflects the concept of security border both in the light of critical geopolitics and ideas of 'critical security thought', i.e. post-positivist security thinking (critical and postmodern orientations). The post-Cold War era means that the capability of the state to control security political space, and new border transgressing threats, is uncertain. Security borders are therefore becoming ever harder to define and draw. The empirical dimension of the article is the policy and process of creating the European Union's Northern Dimension (ND). The ND process is analysed, and particular attention is paid to the concept and practices of security borders. Critical geopolitics and 'critical security thought' serve as a theoretical framework. They provide a theoretical context and basis for the notion of security border. In this article critical geopolitics and post-positivist security thought constitute both an ontological and epistemological foundation for the study, while the notion of security border functions as an analytical tool for studying the ND. This article claims that the ND is an ambivalent (security) process. Second, it argues that the concept of security border is a useful analytical tool for geopolitical investigation.     

品牌定义与品牌资产理论研究文献综述

通过对国内外专家、学者和研究机构对品牌与品牌资产理论研究成果的文献综述,分析了国内外品牌及品牌资产理论的研究框架。品牌定义的研究分别为标识理论、个性理论、关系理论和价值理论;品牌资产理论的研究框架分别为财务导向理论、竞争导向理论和顾客导向理论。国外有关品牌定义和品牌资产理论的研究框架比较完善,其理论研究的创新始终追随市场竞争态势的变化。对品牌定义和品牌资产理论框架和知识体系进行研究论证,从而明确学术研究的必有性和对实际工作的指导性。     

城乡转换、经济开放与收入分配的变动趋势--理论假说与双二元动态框架

居民收入分配的变动趋势要受到城乡转换和经济开放的双重约束,而已有研究局限在发展经济学和国际贸易学两个不同的分析框架中,由此影响到其现实解释能力。文章结合二元经济和国际贸易价值增值理论,提出了两个理论假说,并在此基础上构建了一个包含三条劳动力转移路线的四部门、双二元动态分析框架,新分析框架将可以更全面地解释双重约束下居民收入分配的实际变动趋势,并具有更强的现实兼容性,从而丰富和发展了Kuznets“倒U”假说。     

Understanding Empirical Boundaries: A Systems-Theoretical Avenue in Border Studies

The aim of this contribution is to present a conceptual framework with potential application across the interdisciplinary field of border studies. This framework should embrace interdisciplinarity and the contextual nature of borders. Based on the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann, it elaborates an understanding of borders as being related to a dynamic process of social bordering/bounding processes that involves spatial, social, and conceptual boundaries. By introducing the notion of ‘empirical boundary’, our framework aspires to bridge the gap between (radical) constructivist theorising and the analysis of physical realities involved in the (re)production of boundaries.     

Modelling Cross-Border Integration: The Role of Borders as a Resource

Cross-border integration is a multifaceted as well as contextually contingent process. While various conceptualisations have been developed, the theoretical foundations of the concept appear insufficient in order to grasp the very significance of such a process of cross-border regionalism. In order to help make sense of the diversity of configurations observed, this article seeks to deconstruct the concept according to the role played by the border as a resource and to develop a theoretical framework based on two contrasted models of cross-border integration. The underlying hypothesis is that cross-border integration does not derive from the mere opening of national borders that it supposedly helps at the same time to remove, but stems from the strategic behaviour of actors who actively mobilise borders as resources. The first model, called ‘geo-economic’, is mainly based on the mobilisation of the border as a differential benefit and aims to generate value out of asymmetric cross-border interactions. In doing so, this process of functional integration is likely to increase cross-border socio-economic disparities and leads to cooperation oriented towards instrumental purposes such as increasing the economic utility of the border or regulating negative externalities. The second model, called ‘territorial project’, emphasises the border resources that involve a convergence of both sides of a border, either through a process of hybridisation/innovation or via the territorial and symbolic recognition borders entail. In this process of place-making that transcends the border, mutual understanding and trust between the actors is seen to be key and the willingness to cooperate essential. Conceived as ideal-types, the two models of cross-border integration are contrasted and to some extent contradictory. They are however not mutually exclusive and different kinds of combinations are examined based on concrete examples.     

创业导向下国外团队簇及管理研究综述

基于CiteSpace的文献共被引分析表明，虽然国外针对团队簇及其管理的研究尚未形成统一的理论框架，但团队簇的多边界协作、群体导向介入、网络影响特性、新合作效应及容量等问题正在成为主要研究方向与热点。据此，关注团队簇层面松散协作关系下的创业生态与创新网络嵌入管理难题，在探讨创新创业交互属性并评述现有成果的基础上，凝练出团队簇管理概念与特征，对应研究热点，归纳团队簇管理在多元创新情景响应、考虑分散协作的社群决策技术创新、考虑动态有效性的协同演化机制、考虑知识生产的创新效能扩散机理等方面的解析评价要点。该研究能够为创业导向下的初创企业及创业化组织变革、创业协同管理实践提供理论参考，通过进一步探索热点问题的解析评价方法与整体研究框架，丰富与扩展团队管理、创新管理与组织变革等理论基础。     

NOUVEL ESSOR DES FONDATIONS AU QUÉBEC ET AU CANADA: POUR UNE ANALYSE SOCIOPOLITIQUE FONDÉE SUR LE CONCEPT D'ÉCONOMIE PLURIELLE

Philanthropic foundations are the object of little research in Canada and Quebec. Our article recognizes the role of these organizations, as well as the presence of powerful new foundations, rich in assets and donations. This article consists of three parts. The first part presents a theoretical review of the American literature published from 2000 on. The second part examines data that we extracted from three main repertoires. Though informative, these repertoires tend to classify Canadian and Quebec foundations in categories that are mostly fiscal and legal and tend to break them down as public or private foundations. We therefore question the limits of studies based on such categories. In the third part of the article we propose a theoretical framework based on a sociopolitical point of view in an attempt to transcend the binary approach. Our approach borrows from the concepts of social and solidarity economy (SSE) and plural economy in order to better understand the new institutional arrangements in which foundations operate. This theoretical framework allows us to analyse foundations as actors of the SSE even though they might not reproduce automatically the principles and the values of the SSE in their behaviours. On the contrary, from the standpoint of a plural economy we may be in a better position to develop a sound sociopolitical analysis of diverse configurations and hybrid forms resulting from emulations or transactions between the principles of the social and solidarity economy (reciprocity), the private economy (competition) and the public economy (redistribution).     

Competitive advantage: an analytical framework based on entrepreneurship

This article observes and studies the role and effect of entrepreneurship within the theoretical framework of resource-based view (RBV). It advances competitive advantage theory based on entrepreneurship by proving the distinctiveness of entrepreneurship. Distinctive cognition competence of entrepreneurs provides them with personal specific assets, which determines both the competence to explore new business opportunities and the competence to integrate resources for risk activities. The characteristics of such intangible resource as entrepreneurship, such as its distinctiveness, limitedness of competition, and incomplete mobility of factors, are the most important sources of competitive advantage of enterprises in the strategic management theory of RBV.     

The Macroeconomic Effects of Taxation in a Federal Europe

The signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 has created a dilemma for fiscal policy at both a theoretical and a policy level. The conflict between the increasingly important stabilising role for fiscal policy post-Maastricht and the pursuit of fiscal harmonisation requires a re-examination of the theoretical framework within which policy discussion should take place. Orthodox tax incidence theory cannot adequately analyse the macroeconomic effects of taxation and the paper proposes an alternative post-Keynesian approach based on the tax and business cycle theories of Kalecki. To illustrate the applicability of a Kaleckian approach to taxation in a Federal system, the paper presents a discussion of the macroeconomic effects of State and local taxation in the US. It is also shown to be necessary to study the structure of State government receipts, the expenditure functions of State governments, the State government budget stance and the nature of intergovernmental relations in order to identify macroeconomic effects.     

Social Economy and New Jobs: A Summary of Twenty Case Studies in European Regions

Employment in the new social economy is growing. In times of rising unemployment new cooperatives and associations are recruiting some of the unemployed. That is the main conclusion in the study on twenty organizations scattered all over Europe presented in this article. The organizations are located in different economic and legal environments, but united in that they are comparatively small, locally based and run in a democratic way. The article also introduces the field `new social economy' and presents three hypotheses to give a theoretical framework for the results in the study. Finally implications for policy and research are presented.     

The Histonomic Approach to Economics: Beyond Pure Theory and Pure Experience

This article starts off with the distinction between logico-deductive and empirico-deductive approaches to economic theory. The logicodeductive approach, for instance neoclassical economics, uses an axiomatic framework that has only little empirical substance. The empirico-deductive approach, for instance, Ricardian economics, attempts to state economic theory as a “typical” structure of reality. It appears that the latter approach touches reality more closely and is more sensitive to intellectual enrichment and to substantial empirical evidence. However, both approaches operate within the basic assumption applied in classical physics, that theory must represent an invariant structure of reality—highlighting in this case economic phenomena that do not change over time. In the following, the induction issue is given new life, suggesting its validity under the non-conventional assumptions ofvariancy and time-asymmetry. A “histonomic” approach stressing the importance of making theoretical (-nomic) statements about economic phenomena that are basically historical (histo-) in their non-classical properties of variancy and time-asymmetry is favored.     

Debt shifting and ownership structure

Previous theoretical studies on the debt shifting behavior of multinationals have assumed affiliates of multinationals to be wholly owned. We develop a model that allows a multinational firm to determine both the leverage and ownership structure in affiliates endogenously. A main finding is that affiliates with minority owners have less debt than wholly owned affiliates and therefore a less tax-efficient financing structure. This is due to an externality that arises endogenously in our model, where costs and benefits of debt shifting are shared asymmetrically between minority and majority owners. Our findings provide a theory framework for recent empirical findings.     

基于诺思制度变迁框架的中国近代企业史研究——以荣家企业制度变迁为例

从20世纪90年代起,中国经济史学研究引入了新制度经济学理论,这是传统经济史学研究方法上的突破。但这些研究大多集中于正式制度对近代企业的影响和运用交易成本或产权理论分析近代企业制度变迁。文章在诺思产权—国家—意识形态的制度变迁理论框架的基础上,以企业代替国家为制度变迁的主体,重点从意识形态视角进行研究,并通过对荣家企业的案例分析,为近代企业史研究提供了一个内在逻辑一致的理论框架。