The dynamics of firms in a micro-to-macro model: The role of training, learning and innovation

We analyze the co-evolution of the performances of firms and of the economy in an evolutionary micro-to-macro model of the Swedish economy. The model emphasizes the interactions between human capital (or competences) and technological change at the firm level and their effects on aggregate growth, taking into account the micro-macro feedbacks. The model features learning-by-doing, incremental and radical innovations, user-producer learning at the firm level, and a change in the techno-economic paradigm. We find that there is an optimal sequence for the firm to allocate their resources: (1) build a general human capital stock before the change in the techno-economic paradigm, (2) spend on R&D, and (3) invest in specific human capital. Innovators fare better than imitators on average, not only because they innovate, but also because they build a competence base, which supports the learning from other firms.     

The impact of adoption timing on new service usage and early disadoption

Post-adoption usage can be a crucial element in obtaining substantial revenues from new service introduction, especially when adopters display low usage levels or decide to disadopt the service altogether. Here, the authors specifically examine the effects of adoption timing on post-adoption usage and disadoption. Using a longitudinal, individual-level usage data set of 6296 adopters of a new telecom service, they show that the earliest adopters have lower initial usage levels than do later adopters. However, early adopters show increasing usage after adoption, whereas late adopters tend to decrease their usage over time. Also, disadoption rates are higher among later adopters.     

Government Programs and Diffusion of Innovations in Taiwan: An Empirical Study of Household Technology Adoption Rates

ABSTRACT

This research mirrors Olshavsky's (1980) groundbreaking study by using penetration data for household technologies in Taiwan. Results support conventional wisdom that adoption rates are increasing over time. Moreover, rates were negatively associated with price. This research goes beyond Olshavsky by examining whether adoption rates differ across geographical regions types (i.e., rural, townships, and metropolitan). Adoption rates for nine household technologies at the three geographical types are not significantly different. Support is lent to the proposition that government rural development policies promoting education and physical infrastructures have fostered relatively equal diffusion patterns of household technologies in Taiwan.     

Making new products go viral and succeed

Why are some new product introductions more viral and successful than others? This research integrates theories of interpersonal communication and consumer learning to explore this question. Analyzing a unique data set of millions of consumer word-of-mouth transmissions (eWOM) on social media regarding 345 new automobile products introduced during 2008–2015, we find that more innovative products generate more eWOM volume but surprisingly less positive sentiment. These effects vary in magnitude across eWOM channels. However, the use of rich-content communication, pre-announcement, and cobranding strengthens (weakens) the positive (negative) effect of product innovativeness on eWOM volume (sentiment). The results further indicate that eWOM sentiment is a stronger predictor of new product success than eWOM volume. Experimental results reveal more insights into how product innovativeness influences eWOM metrics in several product categories and shed light on the role of excitement and perceived risk as mechanisms underlying these effects. The research offers useful implications for firms to design effective viral marketing campaigns to enhance new product success.     

技术创新的扩散与中国的技术进步(英文)

本文讨论了技术创新转移过程中的激励、评估以及对引进技术的消化和再创新等问题.     

Modeling complex systems

Empirical observations suggest that linear dynamics are not an adequate representation of ecological systems and that a realistic representation would require adoption of complex nonlinear dynamical systems with characteristics encountered in complex adaptive systems (CAS). Adequate modeling should include and combine elements, such as strategic interactions among economic agents, nonconvexities induced by nonlinear feedbacks, separate spatial and temporal scales and modeling of spatiotemporal dynamics, and allowance of alternative time scales. Ignoring these characteristics might obscure very important features that we observe in reality, such as bifurcations and irreversibilities or hysteresis. As a consequence, the design of policies that do not take CAS characteristics into account might lead to erroneous results and undesirable states of managed economic–ecological systems.     

“To buy or to pirate”: The matrix of music consumers' acquisition-mode decision-making

The decision to engage in music piracy may be preceded by consumer consideration of a range of issues. The determinants of such piracy as embedded in a large matrix of acquisition-mode decision factors relevant to exchange theory, including economic, legal, ethical, network and consumer behavior aspects, are investigated here. This matrix depicts numerous interrelated factors and makes assessing the decision-making process regarding music piracy more contextual than previously considered. A study of 204 American business students was conducted to test this matrix and assess the impact of the various factors. Implications and future research regarding this decision-making matrix and exchange theory are provided. The significant factors predict whether an exchange takes place between music consumers and the music industry.     

Different determinants at different times: B2B adoption of a radical innovation

This research aims to empirically determine which factors best explain business to business adoption of a radical, high-tech innovation early in the diffusion process. Early lifecycle data collection provides insights about the differences in determinants of adoption at different times in the product diffusion process. The results indicate that differences do exist between the determinants of early adoption, intent to adopt later, and unawareness of the innovation. The influencers of earliest adopters appear to be innovation-focused: the perceived benefits of the innovation as well as the strength of the producer network positively relate to early adoption; early adopters also tend to perceive the technology in the innovation as less different than previous technology than do those who intend to adopt later. The influence of a champion within the adopting firm, the ability of the firm to sense and respond to new technology, and the depth of technology knowledge within the adopting firm are significant influencers across multiple stages of diffusion, showing that firm-internal traits are particularly important influencers of adoption. Laggard firms are missing the critical firm traits that lead to information gathering and understanding of innovations. In addition to contributing to adoption research theory and methodology, this research has implications for innovation-marketing and innovation-adopting firms.     

低碳知识的时空扩散与演变特征研究

基于维普中文科技期刊全文数据库中相关文献的时空分布变化,考量我国低碳知识经济扩散的形式、特征规律。结果发现：低碳知识在我国的时间扩散经历了接收、启动、加速、回落四个时期;低碳知识扩散中,政府是主导者,学者是领先者,企业是跟进者、居民是接受者;北京是我国低碳知识的扩散源,城市地位和文化科研实力是重要保障;低碳知识在我国的空间扩散既符合整体规律又表现出差异化。     

后疫情时代中国智能驾驶创新扩散特征研究——基于创新扩散理论深度调研

基于罗杰斯创新扩散理论,采用立意抽样法,对涵盖智能驾驶创新扩散源、潜在受用群体的25家典型机构中的95名受访者进行深度调研,结合资料分析、现场观察等质性研究法,勾勒中国智能驾驶创新扩散实践经历新冠肺炎疫情前后呈现的不同创新属性扩散模式特征。结果发现：①新冠肺炎疫情虽然在一定程度上消解了L1—L5级智能驾驶创新扩散源与政府及限定场景潜在受用群体创新属性之间的矛盾,却将新矛盾聚焦于非专业人士教育培训与操作易用性诉求上;②新冠肺炎疫情加快了政府及限定场景潜在受用群体对智能驾驶创新的认知进程,使得智能驾驶创新劝服与决策过程直接进入实施阶段;③智能驾驶创新采纳者钟形曲线分布发生偏移,原先属于落后者、晚期大多数类别的潜在受用群体不断向早期大多数类别身份转换。最终,提出积极寻求疫情与复工场景应用机会、定向开发并拓展产品线、加速技术迭代与升级等应急举措,以面对突发性公共危机时能够继续维系有效的扩散实践。