The three facets of knowledge: A critique of the practice-based learning theory

The community of practice learning theory (Lave and Wenger, 1991) can be credited with establishing the social basis of learning, viewing it as occurring through participation in social practices and activities. However, it remains silent on the cognitive content of what is learned by participants in a community of practice. Nor does it address explicitly the role of individuals in the knowing process. Individuals are merely depicted in terms of a desire to belong to a community, progressing from a peripheral participation position to a more central one. The aim of the present paper is to assess the contribution of Lave and Wenger's (1991) practice theory for educational and other learning social settings. In a schooling context, for instance, Lave and Wenger's (1991) account of learning would imply that what students learn at school is how to relate and belong to the school community. By reducing learning and knowing to participation, and by displacing cognition from individuals to anonymous practices, the practice-based epistemology ignores the significant corpus of content knowledge (such as curriculums) and ascribes too passive a role to individuals and glosses over their differentiated access to resources for changing practices and their differentiated efforts in their social and cognitive development. The present paper suggests an approach to knowledge that takes into account the various facets of knowledge, that is, knowledge as knowledge-productive practices, as content, and as relation to a knowing subject, at the same time preserving the sociality of knowledge and learning.     

The impact of virtual technologies on knowledge-based processes: An empirical study

This study examines the organizational knowledge creation processes in two highly virtual teams involved in new product development projects in the automotive industry. Using Nonaka's model of knowledge creation, we explore how the virtualization of knowledge-based processes, i.e. the intensive exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICTs), has led to new forms of knowledge creation at both the individual and organizational levels. In contrast to previous studies that identify knowledge codification as the main contribution of ICTs, this study provides detailed micro-level evidence about the ability of virtual technologies to support the transfer and the creation of new knowledge – both explicit and tacit – and offers some implications for scholars and practitioners.     

Knowledge diffusion, market segmentation and technological catch-up: The case of the telecommunication industry in China

This paper examines the growth of technological capability in the telecommunication industry in China. We apply a modified version of Lee and Lim's [Lee, K., Lim, C., 2001. The technological regimes, catch-up and leapfrogging: findings from the Korean industries. Research Policy, vol. 30.] model of technological learning and catching-up. Using the three cases of the Shanghai Bell, the CIT-led R&D consortium, and indigenous companies such as Huawei, we analyze how the catching-up in the telecommunication industry occurred. We find that the important factors in the catch-up are the strategy of “trading market for technology,” the knowledge diffusion from Shanghai Bell both to the R&D consortium and to Huawei, and industrial promotion by the government. As a condition for successful catch-up, the paper points out that the technological regime of the telephone switches is featured by a more predictable technological trajectory and a lower cumulativeness. These conditions and strategies helped the Chinese firms to achieve a stage-skipping catch-up, namely, by skipping the stage of analogue electronic switches to jump to digital electronic switches.     

Implementing impact evaluation in professional practice: A study of support needs within the museum, archive and library sector

This paper reports on research into the professional needs of those embarking on impact evaluation in the museum, archive and library sector. The research used a web portal providing impact evaluation research findings and examples of methods and toolkits as a means of facilitating response and discussion about practitioner attitude to, and resource needs for, impact evaluation in their own organisations. The various challenges associated with impact evaluation are briefly explored in relation to the conflicting interests of policy makers, managers and practitioners working in the frontline. Respondents’ reactions to issues associated with information accessibility are discussed and reflect the complexity of providing adequate support for a wide range of professionals with varying experience and potential or perceived needs. Although the study focused on one sector of practitioners, the findings are relevant to all professionals aiming to develop high quality information services and systems in relation to their end users.     

Determinants of industry-academy linkages and, their impact on firm performance: The case of Korea as a latecomer in knowledge industrialization

This paper utilizes the Korea Innovation Survey data to identify the determinants of industry-university and industry-government research institute (IUG) cooperation, and its impact on firm performance. First, we find that among the determinants of IUG cooperation, traditional firm characteristic variables of size and R&D intensity are not significant, while participation in national R&D project turns out be most significant and robust in both cooperation modes. This is in contrast to the results from the cases in European countries and reflects the significance of government policies in promoting IUG cooperation in latecomer economies. Second, with regard to the impact of IUG cooperation, we conspicuously find no significant impact on the innovation probability of firms when we control the possible endogeneity, such that already innovative firms would participate more at such cooperation modes. This implies that the IUG cooperation cannot guarantee the success of a firm in technological innovation. Rather, it may have an influence on the selection or direction of the research projects of a firm. When we limited the analysis to innovative firms, we do find a positive impact of the IUG cooperation on patents generated from new product innovation but find none in terms of volume of sales or labor productivity. These results seem to reflect the still transitional nature of the national innovation system (NIS) and knowledge industrialization in Korea.     

The role of the professional association: A grounded theory study of Electronic Medical Records usage in Ontario,Canada

Many professionals utilize computer systems to assist them with the exercise of their skilled knowledge. These systems are designed with many core features, but their adoption is heterogeneous, with some users adopting more features than others. In this qualitative study, the empirical context is the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) by primary care physicians in Ontario, Canada. We have collected data from interviews, and by using the methodology of grounded theory, we theorize that guidance from the professional association to which the members belong is able to positively influence its members to adopt more core features. Although professionals operate with a high degree of autonomy, their professional association governs their actions. By setting standards and offering education, the association is able to guide its members to make more enhanced use of core features. The theoretical contribution is the conceptualization of a higher order construct, Professional Association Guidance.     

The effects of economic status and recent experience on innovative behavior under environmental variability: An experimental approach

We build and empirically test a model that predicts the display of innovative behavior as a function of environmental change, with recent experience and economic status acting as moderators. We start with the model developed by Slevin (1971), which evolved from the so-called innovation boundary. This is the threshold beyond which the display of innovative behavior becomes attractive. We show how environmental change creates uncertainty about the position of the innovation boundary; however, this uncertainty is reduced by recent experiences. Furthermore, economic status serves as both an enhancer and an inhibitor of innovation. Our model was tested and largely confirmed in two experiments: one conducted in a laboratory setting and one conducted as a discrete choice experiment. Currently experiments are rarely conducted in the field of innovation studies. By presenting this evidence we also hope to encourage more authors to conduct experiments in their work.     

Product attributes and brand equity in the mobile domain: The mediating role of customer experience

There are studies showing that utilitarian (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness) and hedonic (entertainment and aesthetics) attributes of products are two fundamental resources that ensure brand equity in the mobile domain. However, few studies examine the attributes of products and how and why such resources influence mobile brand equity. In this study, a survey was carried out on 262 mobile users in Taiwan to examine the mediating effects of customer experience on the relationship between product attributes on mobile brand equity. Our findings suggest that utilitarian and hedonic attributes of products affect mobile brand equity through customer experience. In other words, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, entertainment, and aesthetics may not be intrinsic value; their value on mobile brand equity is realized through customer experience. However, whereas the effect of perceived ease of use on mobile brand equity is partially mediated, perceived usefulness, entertainment, and aesthetics are fully mediated by customer experience. By showing the differential effects of product attributes on mobile brand equity, this study provides a more refined understanding of the interplay among product attributes, customer experience, and mobile brand equity. The results suggest that by overlooking the mediating role of customer experience, previous research may have provided an overly optimistic view of the value of product attributes in mobile brand equity.     

Evaluating the impact of R&D tax credits on innovation: A microeconometric study on Canadian firms

This study examines the effect of R&D tax credits on innovation activities of Canadian manufacturing firms. Over the 1997-1999 period the Federal and Provincial R&D tax credit programs were used by more than one third of all manufacturing firms and by close to two thirds of firms in high-technology sectors. We investigate the average effect of R&D tax credits on a series of innovation indicators such as: number of new products, sales with new products, originality of innovation, etc. using a non-parametric matching approach. Compared to a hypothetical situation in the absence of R&D tax credits, recipients of tax credits show significantly better scores on most but not all performance indicators. We therefore conclude that tax credits lead to additional innovation output.     

The impact of past performance on information valuation in virtual communities: Empirical study in online stock message boards

Unlike other types of virtual communities, individuals participate in online stock message boards for their material needs rather than non-material needs (e.g., sense of belonging). They may seek and read others’ opinions to make better investment performances. The value of information in online stock message boards may vary from person to person according to their past investment experiences. However, little is known regarding how their past investment performance influences the value of others’ opinions. Therefore, our study investigates how individuals process others’ opinions on stock message boards for their investment decisions when they have different levels of past investment performance. We proposed the unique research model with two paths consisting of both online stock message board factors and individual factors to determine continuous use of online stock message boards. We conducted SEM analysis with 452 questionnaire data. The results, first, showed that message boards factors (e.g., satisfaction using others’ opinions) have a positive impact on continuous intention to use while their own satisfaction with past investment activities has a negative impact on continuous intention to use. In addition, we believe that this is one of the few papers to examine the moderating role of self-attribution bias on the effects of stock investment performance. Our results indicated that investors with strong self-attribution bias lower the usefulness of opinions when losing money while they increased confidence in their investment-related abilities when achieving a profit from investment. This study will help to support and extend the theory of IS continuance model while providing practical insights for online stock message board managers by suggesting ways to vitalize online stock message boards.     

The emergence of entrepreneurship as an academic field: A personal essay on institutional entrepreneurship

The academic field of entrepreneurship research has grown from groups of isolated scholars doing research on small businesses to an international community of departments, institutes, and foundations promoting research on new and high-growth firms. Growth has produced increasingly systematic and interconnected knowledge and growing numbers of knowledge producers and knowledge users share core concepts, principles, and research methods, and a handful of highly cited scholars have emerged as thought leaders within research subfields. The field is increasingly formalized and anchored in a small set of intellectual bases, although there are also some signs of differentiation and fragmentation. Using an institutional theory perspective and drawing upon my experience in the field, I explore six forces creating the institutional infrastructure. First, social networking mechanisms have created a social structure facilitating connections between researchers. Second, publication opportunities have increased dramatically. Third, training and mentoring has moved to a collective rather than individual apprenticeship model. Fourth, major foundations and many other smaller funding sources have changed the scale and scope of entrepreneurship research. Fifth, new mechanisms have emerged that recognize and reward individual scholarship, reinforcing the identity of entrepreneurship research as a field and attracting new scholars into it. Sixth, globalizing forces have affected all of these trends. I conclude with some thoughts about the consequences of these developments with regard to the giving of practical and timely advice to entrepreneurs, the effects of American hegemony on choices of research topics and methods, and the possible loss of theoretical eclecticism.     

The present status and problems of impact research in technology policy: A case study on the federal program for funding research and development personnel in Germany

The paper illustrates the present status and the problems of impact research through an impact research study of the program of funding research and development personnel in small and meduim-sized firms launched by the German Federal Government. This impact analysis study is one of the first of its kind to be conducted in technology policy in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is mainly devoted to the following problems: acceptance by the firms involved of the funding program; relevance of the program to internal decision-making processes; quantitative and qualitative effects on R&D personnel and R&D activities; impact on the innovation activities of firms; efficient implementation and management of the program. Impact analyses need to go beyond the framework of a shallow technocratic incidence analysis studying only effects the funding program is assumed to have. Such solidly based impact analysis is possible only if also the basic aspects underlying the funding programs can be reviewed critically and verified empirically. The practical implementation of this criterion is demonstrated by studying the effects of the funding measure on the innovative activities of firms. Typical problems associated with impact anayses are insufficient access to the data required, shortcomings in the evolution of theories and the development of methods, weaknesses inherent in the formation of indicators on a sound theoretical basis and with a sufficient degree of operationalization. It is shown how far these problems make themselves felt, and are partly overcome, in this impact analysis. In particular, the early inclusion of evaluation aspects in the conceptual phase of the funding program has established comparatively favorable conditions for this impact analysis.     

Hypomagnesaemia in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients: A study on the status of oxidative and nitrosative stress

This study was undertaken to evaluate the levels of plasma magnesium, lipid peroxides, nitric oxide end products, erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxides, erythrocyte reduced glutathione and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. 60 patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus and 30 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Among 60 type-2 diabetic patients, 30 patients were without complication and 30 patients were with various complications. Decreased levels of plasma magnesium, erythrocyte reduced glutathione and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity while increased levels of plasma lipid peroxides, nitric oxide end products and erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxides were observed in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. We propose that, under the shadow of hypomagnesaemia, there is excessive production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species as reflected by elevated lipid peroxides and nitric oxide end products concomitant with dwindled antioxidants and suggest their association with late complications in type-2 diabetes mellitus.     

19世纪英人在华植物实用知识的采集与阐释——以《实用知识传播学会的便士百科全书》“茶”词条为例

以《实用知识传播学会的便士百科全书》中有关中国的植物知识为研究对象,选取相关度较高的植物词条进行分析,发现英国人更加关注物种的多样性与文化的多样性。通过"茶"词条这一个案,具体分析中国茶知识内容、知识来源、与中国传统茶知识的差异比较;进而得出结论认为,在英国海外知识采集背景下,在华英国商人、传教士、学者在知识的形成过程中提供了重要的知识来源,在知识的阐释与传播过程中,形成了一个相对完整的知识传递链。     

职业院校护理专业学生学习动力水平调查研究——以上海医药高等专科学校为例

了解职业院校护理专业学生的学习动力情况,找出影响护理专业学生学习动力水平的相关因素,为今后的专业教学提供有建设性的建议。采取整群抽样的方法,选取上海医药高等专科学校护理专业在校学生,发放《护理专业学生学习动力评定量表》进行无记名问卷调查,进行数据分析。职业院校护理专业学生学习动力呈现较高的水平,不同年级、学历、是不是独生子女对护理专业学生学习动力水平的影响较大。建议职业院校可以采取相关措施,使护理专业学生的学习动力水平进一步提高,以便提高专业技能,满足社会需求。     

Innovating in the periphery: The impact of local and foreign inventor mobility on the value of Indian patents

We examine the impact of local and foreign labor mobility in India by modeling one regional and one global network, each of which captures the inter-organizational mobility of inventors. Our analysis of the regional network shows that, within India, the productivity of inventors does not improve when they move from foreign to Indian organizations. In the global network, we find that Indian organizations remain located in the periphery as a result of employing a small number of inventors from foreign organizations. However, in the instances when inventors are hired from foreign organizations, they are able to produce patents with a higher impact in comparison to inventors hired from other Indian organizations. Furthermore, when the inventors are hired from abroad, the impact of their patents is even higher in comparison. The implications of these findings for innovation and policy in the emerging economy context are discussed.     

The impact of trust and changes in trust: A national comparison of individual adoptions of information and communication technologies and related phenomenon

Trust has been shown to play an important role in the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) on an individual and firm level, but has received relatively little attention on a national level. In this paper we examine the impact of generalized trust, as measured by the World Value Survey, on the adoption of ICT products and related phenomena (e.g., such issues as Telecommuting and services such as E-Government Readiness), at a national level, while controlling for a nation's wealth. Because national trust levels having changed over time, we also examine how the rate of change in trust has impacted the adoption of ICT and ICT related phenomenon. Our findings provide strong empirical support for the argument that trust impacts national level adoption. The results are robust as we consider multiple variables and data sources. We also show that changes in trust rates are generally associated with corresponding changes in ICT adoptions.     

学术文献传播的全新途径:C2C文档交流网站及其影响

随着互联网Web2.0时代的到来,近两年兴起了一种新型文献交流网站,即C2C文档网站,其独特的文献采集和销售模式创新并影响着文献传播渠道和途径,对学术文献传播将产生不可限量的影响,然而C2C文档网站并未引起学术界应有的关注。在分析C2C文档网站特点的基础上,对其影响学术文献传播尤其是文献数据库的可能性进行了初步研究,认为C2C文档网站的商业模式具有多重优势,未来可能给文献数据库带来市场冲击。     

The effects of owner identity and external governance systems on R&D investments: A study of Western European firms

This paper builds on agency and institutional theory to extend the analysis of the effects of ownership and control on R&D investments by considering the influence of different types of ownership and of institutional corporate governance systems. Our empirical analysis is based on a unique dataset of 1000 firms publicly-traded in six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the UK). Controlling for industry- and firm-level effects, our findings show that higher shareholding by families is negatively associated with R&D investment. Moreover, widely-held firms invest less in R&D in the United Kingdom than in Continental European countries, thus suggesting the existence of a greater pressure towards the reduction of R&D in market-based governance systems. The results are robust against possible sample selection biases due to firms’ discretional R&D disclosure.     

The impact of M&A on the R&D process: An empirical analysis of the role of technological- and market-relatedness

Using information on 31 in-depth cases of individual M&A deals, we show that technological and market-relatedness between M&A partners distinctly affects the inputs, outputs, performance and organisational structure of the R&D process. While the findings in the literature on the effect of M&A on R&D are quite mixed, we can sharpen results by analysing data at the level of the R&D process. This comes at the price of a smaller sample and more qualitative data, for which caution in the interpretation is necessary. M&A between partners with ex-ante complementary technologies result in more active R&D performers after the M&A. In sharp contrast, when merged entities are technologically substitutive, they significantly decrease their R&D level after the M&A. Moreover, R&D efficiency increases more prominently when merged entities are technologically complementary than when they are substitutive. These two findings on the R&D level and the performance support the scope economy effect of M&A, on the one hand, and reject the scale economy effect of M&A, on the other. Next, for cases in which partners were active in the same technological fields before the M&A, the reduction of R&D is more prominent, while the R&D efficiency gain is smaller if merged entities were rivals in the product market prior to their merger than if they were non-rival. This suggests that rival firms reap little technology gains from mergers.