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Enterprise Network Mechanism Of Technological Innovation Performance: The Use Of - To Explore The Mediating Effect Of Learning,

Posted on:2010-12-08Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:X M PengFull Text:PDF
GTID:1119360275469926Subject:Business management
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Global Manufacturing Network(GMN) opened an opportunity window for Chinese local firms to integrate into international labor division system,learn technology and accumulate knowledge.After held the nodes of GMN using relative low-cost advantages,how to integrate the resources embedded in the networks and enhance technological innovation capability is the key practical issue for Chinese local firms to upgrade in the global value chain.At present,against the background of a growing network innovation paradigm,the importance of technological innovation brought about by enterprises has been agreed by the majority of scholars,learning and innovation have also become the key ways and necessary requirements for Chinese local firms to strategical upgrade in GMN.However,the overview of related research shows that although the existing theoretical research outlined the characteristics of the interfirm network and the competitive advantages it brings up,the research on mechanism and context of how interfirm network impacts technological innovation performance are still inadequate,besides,the existing research findings also have some of the differences.In the dissertation,the author takes Chinese firms in GMN as the research sample,focusing on "How to build an appropriate network architecture to enhance the performance of technological innovation",referring to relative research results of the mechanisms of interfirm networked innovation,building the triune analyzing configuration of "position centrality - tie strength - network size ",according to the logic of "structure - conduct - performance",establishing the theoretical framework of "interfirm network structure - organizational learning type - technological innovation performance",exploring the following three closely related sub-questions step by step:First,what are the mechanisms of interfirm network on technological innovation performance? Second,what impacts will be brought about on this mechanism in various environmental characteristics and organizational features? Finally,how do interfirm networks and organizational learning dynamically evolve? In order to answer these above-mentioned questions,the dissertation carried out its research gradually and orderly through the corresponding three sub-researches.The first sub-research firstly brought forward the conceptual model and research hypothesis of the different characteristics of the interfirm network impacting on technological innovation performance.235 firms in Zhejiang Province China are investigated via questionnaires,and Explorative Factor Analysis(EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA) are conducted to establish and verify the measures,and Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) is applied to testify and modify the concept model.Based on the first sub-research,the second sub-research introduces two types of moderate variables as the environmental dynamism and technology-oriented strategy to examine the influential mechanisms of interfirm network on organizational learning using 185 questionnaires.In view of interfirm network is a dynamic changing process,the third sub-research explored the evolution relationship among interfirm network and organizational learning and their effects on technological innovation performance through a longitudinal case study.Through the above research,some conclusions are as follows:(1) Interfirm network indirectly influences technological innovation performance through the mediating role of exploitative and exploratory learning.In detail,the empirical results suggest that interfirm network promote innovation performance through three distinct ways:position centrality has positive effects on both organizational learning;tie strength positively influence exploitative learning,but has a negative effect on exploratory learning;network size enhance the exploitative learning,but has no significant effect on exploratory learning.And,exploitative learning promote the exploratory learning,both learning can directly enhance technological innovation performance.(2) The environmental dynamism and technology-oriented strategy play an important moderating role in the mechanism that interfirm network affects the organizational learning.Empirical studies have shown that the more dynamic business environment an enterprise has,the positive effects attached on exploitative learning by position centraliy and network size will relatively decline,but the weak tie contributes more to the exploratory learning.The higher the orientation of technology strategy,the more the position centraliy contributes to the exploitative and exploratory learning,at the same time,network size promotes a more prominent role in exploitative learning.(3) Interfirm network architecture and organizational learning have coupling and co-evolution relations.The results showed that the strong tie contributes to the exploitative learning,while the weak tie the exploratory.That is to say it is coupling between the tie strength and organizational learning,and tie strength and organizational learning can co-evolve.The dynamic changes of interfirm network architecture will affect organizational learning types,in the meantime,different organizational learning types call for network structure to correspond.The mutual matching between interfirm network mode and organizational learning types can lead to sustainable technological innovation performance in enterprises.Overview the whole research,this dissertation tries to make some innovation in the following fields:Firstly,the dissertation deeply revealing the nature process of interfirm network influencing on technological innovation process.To a certain extent,it solves the conundrum of "duality of the interfirm network" and "balancing dilemma between exploitation and exploration".The optimal network configurations combine seemingly conflicting elements of both centrality and periphery,strong and weak ties, and cohesion and sparse,silimilar to two ends of a scale.It is necessary for a firm to achieve the balance of between exploitation and exploration,but it's difficult to acquire in a single firm.This dissertation concludes that the position centrality,tie strength and network size of interfirm network will have different effects on the exploitative and exploratory learning.Therefore,the firms in the GMN can give full play to the duality of the network to build a proper network structure in order to achieve a balance between exploitation and exploration,such as integrating a large periphery of heterogeneous weak ties and a core of strong ties.The findings promote the in-depth theoretical study innovation mechanism of interfirm network and broaden the perspectives of organizational learning theory.Secondly,the disseratation interprets in detail the influential mechanism of different characteristics of interfirm network under different environmental dynamism and technology-oriented strategy to organizational learning,which has a certain reference value for the enterprises to build corresponding network models according to external environmental characteristics and organization strategy orientation.The environmental dynamism and technology-oriented strategy have moderating role between interfirm network and organizational learning.The conclusions deepen the understanding of context of function of interfirm network,and provide a new thought for enterprises effectively choosing strategic breakthrough and according to business environment to engage technology innovation by an appropriate network structure.Thirdly,the dissertation analyzes adequately the co-evolution law of interfirm network and organizational learning,and offers a new perspective for the learning evolution and strategic upgrading of Chinese enterprises in the GMN.Intefirm network is a process of dynamic building and adjustment.The enterprises only give full play to the role of the network by making their own network structure to adapt to change job tasks and environment requirements.From the perspective of evolution, the enterprises can dynamically build proper interfirm network to realize the balance between exploitative and exploratory learning according to external environmental characteristics,enterprises' strategies and learning targets to eventually bring continual promotion of technology innovation performance.Therefore,the conclusion makes a useful supplement for the research of interfirm network theory and organizational learning theory.
Keywords/Search Tags:interfirm network, global manufacturing network, technological innovation performance, organizational learning, exploitative learning, exploratory learning, environmental dynamism, technology-oriented strategy
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