Research On Knowledge Transfer Operating Mechanism And Efficiency Under Subcontracting Cooperation In High Technology Industry

Subcontracting is an important approach for enterprises in developing countries to participate in global division. From the condition of value chain globally separation, advanced enterprises have the trend to delaminate low value added parts such as producing and manufacturing, and concentrate on core businesses such as R&D, management, financial, marketing which can bring comparative advantage for them. This process provides new opportunity and condition for advancing enterprises to gain new knowledge by embedding in global value chain starting from the low value added parts. Subcontracting mode has developed quite mature in high technology industry, and comparing to textile and clothing industry, the knowledge renew is more frequent, knowledge outflow and knowledge transfer is more easier in high technology industry. On the base of weighing subcontracting cooperation benefits and knowledge outflow risks Advancing enterprises enjoyed knowledge advantages have motivation to make a certain degree of knowledge transfer on considering improving manufacturing flexibility, shortening exploration cycle, gaining specialized capability and exploring new strategic market. The subcontracting enterprises can efficiently gain manufacturing and designing knowledge in the process of tightly cooperation with advanced enterprises. On investigating subcontracting enterprise's growth in Korea and Taiwan, we can acknowledge the possibility and efficiency of advancing enterprises to gain knowledge transfer under subcontracting cooperation. As to domestic subcontracting enterprises in high and technology industry, whether these successful experiences can be copied? Whether they can gain efficient knowledge transfer? What is the operating mechanism of knowledge transfer in subcontracting cooperation? Which factors can have influence on knowledge transfer efficiency? How is the degree of these influences? And further, on considering the practical conditions of domestic subcontracting enterprises in high technology industry, from which aspects do they can strengthen knowledge management to gain knowledge transfer better? Those are key problems for domestic subcontracting enterprises in high and technology industry to promote knowledge accumulation, and also are the basic problems that this thesis engaged to tackle with.Based on theory of knowledge management and strategic management, and combing theoretical and practical research method, qualifying and quantifying method, this thesis makes deep research on knowledge transfer motivation, knowledge transfer operating mechanism, knowledge transfer efficiency in subcontracting cooperation。The contents of this thesis mainly include:Firstly, this thesis researches on the motivation of knowledge transfer around the problem whether there is knowledge transfer in high technology industry subcontracting cooperation. At first, this thesis point out that subcontracting cooperation is a part of advanced enterprises global strategy from the aspect of knowledge sourcing. Advanced enterprises have motivation to make knowledge transfer on the basis of weighing subcontracting cooperation benefits and risks. Then this thesis analysis the possibility and efficiency for advancing enterprises to gain knowledge transfer, on the basis of investigating into the subcontracting enterprises' capability advancement in Korea and Taiwan, and on comparing with other knowledge transfer mode such as joint venture and FDI. At last, this thesis build three stages game model to analyze on what conditions they would have the motivation to make knowledge transfer.Secondly, this thesis researches on knowledge transfer operating mechanism around the problem how knowledge has been transferred in high technology industry subcontracting cooperation. At first, this thesis clarify the meaning of knowledge transfer operating mechanism, pay attention to the relationship and affects among different factors during the process of knowledge transfer. As a mobile system, the function of knowledge transfer operating mechanism mainly reflect from the inner relationship and affects, it includes operating environment, operating objects, operating aim, operating channel etc. As to the knowledge transfer operating mechanism of high technology industry, this thesis researches from two aspects: one is to research the common mechanism between operating system and environment, the other is to research the affecting mechanism among inner factors of knowledge transfer operating system.Thirdly, this thesis researches on the knowledge transfer efficiency theoretically and practically around the problem of how the knowledge is transferred. This thesis firstly establishes knowledge characteristics, knowledge sourcing characteristics, knowledge recipient characteristics, knowledge transfer channel and context are basic factors influencing knowledge transfer efficiency, then make concrete analysis toward the affects of different factors. Then this thesis establishes the method to measure knowledge transfer efficiency from the aspects of knowledge transfer outcome and process, the outcome of knowledge transfer manifests on the aspects of recipients'owned and usage of knowledge, the degree of satisfaction toward knowledge transfer, the process of knowledge transfer manifests on the aspect of the degree of smooth transferring.On the basis of the above research, this thesis draws structural equation analysis method into the empirical research of knowledge transfer efficiency. Combining with the date of questionnaire, this thesis establishes structural equation model including 160 variables. This thesis concludes that among which knowledge recipient characteristics has the most remarkable influence, this conclusion has very important enlightenment for domestic subcontracting enterprises, the key factors for subcontracting enterprises to gain better knowledge transfer lie on definitude learning intention, improving knowledge basis and strengthening absorptive capability. This thesis ultimately draws the following conclusions:Firstly, gaining advanced enterprises'knowledge transfer efficiently is the basic mechanism for domestic subcontracting enterprises in high technology industry to advance from lower stage in global value chain, advanced enterprises have motivation to make knowledge transfer on weighing the subcontracting cooperation benefits and risks, while advancing enterprises gaining knowledge transfer through subcontracting is an possible and efficient approach.Secondly, knowledge transfer operating mechanism is a mobile system, the function of knowledge transfer operating mechanism mainly reflects from the inner relationship and affects. As to the knowledge transfer operating mechanism of high technology industry, this thesis researches from two aspects: one is to research the common mechanism between operating system and environment, the other is to research the affecting mechanism among inner factors of knowledge transfer operating system.Thirdly, knowledge characteristics, knowledge sourcing characteristics, knowledge recipient characteristics, knowledge transfer channel and context are basic factors influencing knowledge transfer efficiency, the measurement of knowledge transfer efficiency can synthesizing knowledge transfer outcome and process. Fourthly, structural equation analysis method can be used in the empirical research of knowledge transfer efficiency on considering the mutual relationship among different factors. The outcome of empirical research manifests that knowledge recipient characteristics has the most remarkable influence, the direct influence of knowledge transfer channel is relatively weak, while the channel influence towards them receive the empirical supporting partly. Context has significant supporting faction toward knowledge characteristics, knowledge sourcing characteristics and knowledge recipient characteristics.Lastly, the conclusion of theoretical and empirical research has very important enlightenment for domestic subcontracting enterprises, they should grasp the opportunity of global production networks and gaining knowledge from subcontracting cooperation as much as possible, but at the same time, they should realize that as to advanced enterprises, knowledge transfer is a rationale strategy comparing cooperation benefits and risks, the key factors for subcontracting enterprises to gain better knowledge transfer lie on definitude learning intention, improving knowledge basis and strengthening absorptive capability.The innovation of this thesis reflects on the following aspects:Firstly, this thesis analyzes the motivation of knowledge transfer systematically, and established three stages game model to analyze the condition of knowledge transfer during subcontracting cooperation;Secondly, this thesis clarifies the meaning of knowledge transfer operating mechanism, and makes research from two aspects: one is the common mechanism between knowledge transfer operating mechanism and environment, the other is the mutual influencing mechanism among the inner factors of knowledge transfer operating system, to acknowledge the mutual relationship and influences and the corresponding affects;Thirdly, this thesis draws structural equation analysis method into the empirical research of knowledge transfer efficiency in high technology industry, and establishes the whole structural model including 160 variables. Combing with the empirical investigation, this thesis establishes the crucial factors as to knowledge transfer efficiency, and testing the date supporting conditions of relevant theoretical hypothesis, then draws instructive conclusions for domestic subcontracting enterprises to make efficient knowledge management.