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Research Of Knowledge Acquisition In The Enterprise Innovation Process

Posted on:2015-01-08Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:S Q ZhouFull Text:PDF
GTID:1109330452451535Subject:Industrial Economics
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Knowledge acquisition is a vital part of the enterprise innovation process, and is inessence an extension of the theory of the firm in innovation field, which become morecomplicated due to the unique nature of knowledge. This paper focuses on twopropositions which are “make or buy” and “external sourcing mode selection”, and usesknowledge-based theory of firm, game theory, econometrics as theoretical tool andcombines case study research method to analyze enterprise knowledge acquisition,respectively, from the perspectives of the innovation process, game and knowledgegovernance.In order to accurately reflect the relationship between innovation process andknowledge acquisition, this paper decomposes and analyzes the enterprise innovationprocess microscopically, and constructs a innovation process based on knowledge-based.Considering knowledge acquisition decisions diversification in the innovation process, theresearch first faces with the choice of basic analysis unit. Innovation processes as acollection of problems, the problem-solving process constituts a micro basis of innovation,this paper chose problem-solving as a basic analysis unit of knowledge acquisition, andconstruct a problem-solving model. In the model, the natures of problem (subdivision,scale and universality) determine the natures of demanded knowledge (complexity, scaleand peculiarity) that are the decisive factor of knowledge production cost and knowledgesupply. Under the natures of problem, decision-makers would weighknowledge acquisition cost to choose internal or external knowledge sourcing.Considering the innovation is a collection of problem, we derive enterprise’ knowledgeboundary from the demands of the knowledge in the problem-solving process, and thenatures of innovation (subdivision, scale and universality) determine the characteristics ofknowledge boundaries which determines internal and external sourcing of knowledgeacquisition strategy selection.To reflect knowledge acquisition strategy selection from dimension of enterpriseknowledge boundary, we ignored the competition, uncertainty, product updates, strategy of knowledge supply and so on. To bring these factors into the analysis framework, weconstruct a three-stage model of innovation competition. Theoretical study found thatstrategy of knowledge supply, the rival’s R&D input, cost comparisons, product updatecycle and cost descending ratio will affect internal and external sourcing of knowledgeacquisition strategy selection. In the context of competition, the availability of knowledgeis endogenous, rational supplier’s knowledge supply strategy has a direct impact ondownstream demander’s knowledge acquisition strategy. If a diversified supply, the firmtends to external sourcing; if exclusive supply, the firm tends to internal sourcing. Withoutproduct update, firm’s strategy selection will be affected by rival’s R&D input and costcomparison, rival R&D input is higher, and cost comparison is the greater, the firm will bemore inclined to internal sourcing; or else, the firm tend to external sourcing. Inconsideration of product updates, firm’s strategy selection will be affected by costdescending ratio and the product update cycle. Cost descending ratio is smaller, firm willbe more inclined to external sourcing; greater tost descending ratio, firm will be moreinclined to internal sourcing. Within time constraint, product update cycle is faster, firmwill be more inclined to internal sourcing; product update cycle is more slowly firm willbe more inclined to external sourcing. To verify the relationship between the update cycleand strategic selection, the paper used two yards industry data to empirically test, theempirical results support the theoretical conclusion. In addition, to fully verify the abovetheoretical perspectives, we applied the above theory to interpret the problem "in-houseR&D and technology importation" in china, and found the theory and economicphenomenon has a good fit.To explore the enterprise selection of different external knowledge sourcing mode,the paper constructs a knowledge governance theory based on knowledge-based theory offirm that differs from the transaction cost theory. Theoretical analysis shows theheterogeneity of external knowledge sourcing mode in complementarity and coordinationderives governance demands of the knowledge acquisition, thus affecting the formation offirm governance boundary of innovation process. First, to achieve the most valuableinnovation, companies will choose the most complementary sources of knowledge;secondly, property right, administration authority and non-adaptive problems determine the different characteristics of governance mode in coordination. These two factorsproduce a direct impact on value or knowledge creation, which led the knowledgeboundary shift down into knowledge governance boundary. Enterprise’ decisions won’t beindependent of risk caused by knowledge transaction, the existence of transaction costswill further shift corporate governance boundaries down to the final boundaries ofknowledge governance, and there will be a deviation upwards if complementarity orcoordination or transaction cost are left out. In order to find evidence to support the abovetheory, this paper uses muti-case study method to analyse comparatively differentknowledge governance modes of innovation process of Microsoft Corp, Xiaomi Tech andXingwei Tech, we found knowledge complementarity is the primary prerequisite for firmstrategy selection, coordination and transaction cost factors have a significant influenceon innovation. The results of cases study are consistent with theoretical analysis mostly.
Keywords/Search Tags:innovation process, knowledge acquisition, knowledge governance, internal sourcing knowledge, external sourcing knowledge
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