Exploring a typology of technology-intensive firms: when is a rose a great rose?

Previous research has contributed to our understanding of technology-intensive firms by proposing alternative typologies or classifications of these firms. This study explores the Koberg typology that characterizes firms by growth stage and production technology into four types of organizations: Embryonic, Start-up, Growth, and Mature Multiline. We propose that, consistent with the typology, firms in each type will differ in strategy, structure, practices, and leadership and that performance is contingent on the fit between organizational factors and typology type. In a study of 377 technology-intensive firms, we find support for differences among organizations in organizational variables by typology type. The characteristics of the organizations as well as the typology are significant in explaining organizational performance. However, except for organizational structure, the firm characteristics that are related to performance do not significantly vary by type. The results are discussed in the context of theory development and managerial implications.     

Towards a typology of knowledge-intensive organizations: determinant factors

Phrases such as ‘knowledge-intensive organizations’ (KIOs) and ‘knowledge-intensive firms’ (KIFs), have recently found common usage, describing the distinct activities and attributes of some organizations. But a review of the literature reveals a lack of consensus among scholars and practitioners on the definition of KIOs. What is also absent from the discussion is an agreement on the factors that differentiate KIOs from non-KIOs, and how those factors affect knowledge management (KM) theory and practice. The objective of this paper is to extend a typology of KIOs as a preliminary step to conducting research on these types of organizations. With the typology of KIOs presented in this paper, we hope to provide a basis of distinguishing these organizations from other organizations, and also to allow one to perform comparative organizational analysis. The typology will also help researchers identify which of the organizations are knowledge-intense, and the nature of their knowledge-intensity, so that they help these organizations in designing appropriate KM tools.     

Knowledge characteristics of communities of practice

This paper proposes a typology of communities of practice based on their knowledge characteristics. The structure of a community of practice, in terms of knowledge, may tend to the stratified or to the egalitarian. The predominant knowledge activity of the community may be sharing or nurturing. This produces four classes of community of practice. The paper identifies and discusses examples of these classes. It is argued that the class to which a community belongs tends to determine the rapidity with which knowledge within the community evolves and the degree of pluralism, as opposed to homogeneity, that the knowledge exhibits. The paper concludes by discussing some of the implications of the typology for knowledge management practice.     

e-Government stakeholders—Who are they and what do they want?

There is an increasing recognition that various stakeholder groups for e-government have a significant role to play in ensuring the long-term success of the e-government enterprise. This article seeks to contribute to the understanding of the stakeholders’ multiple perspectives by proposing typologies of stakeholder roles, and stakeholder benefits, respectively, and embedding these in a stakeholder benefits analysis tool. A literature review is used to surface the diverse existing categorizations of e-government stakeholders and their interests and the benefits sought. This review informs a proposal for a typology of stakeholder roles, and for a typology of stakeholder benefits, which together are used to construct an initial proposal for a stakeholder benefits analysis tool (SBAT), which can be used to map stakeholder roles to stakeholder benefits. This tool has been tested by an expert group, and revised. This exploratory study is an important first step towards the development of tools and approaches for understanding the benefits sought by a wide range of different stakeholder groups in e-government. Progress in the development of such tools is important for the development of knowledge and practice, policy, and evaluation with respect to stakeholder engagement with, and participation in, e-government.     

An international comparison of sectoral knowledge bases: persistence and integration in the pharmaceutical industry

This paper builds upon and extends existing studies of scientific and technological specialisation by proposing an analytical framework to compare sectoral knowledge bases across countries. It develops the concepts of knowledge persistence and knowledge integration as the relevant dimensions along which knowledge bases can be compared. Persistence is studied by analysing the evolution of specialisation over time. It hints at the cumulative, path dependent nature of learning processes. Integration is studied by analysing the evolution of specialisation across different typologies of research. It hints at the complex, non-linear interdependencies that link the scientific and technological domains. On the strength of an original database encompassing 630,000 peer-reviewed papers published between 1989 and 1996 in 11 chemistry and pharmacology-related fields across three types of research (i.e. basic, applied and development), it is argued that countries with high degrees of both persistence and integration (e.g. the US in pharmacology) are the most likely sources of useful research results for EU firms’ innovative efforts in the pharmaceutical sector. Also, some doubts are cast on the existence of a European paradox in pharmaceuticals.     

How do Miles and Snow's strategic types differ in their knowledge assets? Evidence from Italian SMEs

This paper takes a knowledge-based view of firms and discusses the importance of linking organizational knowledge assets into corporate strategy. In order to conceptualize knowledge assets, the paper adopts the intellectual capital (IC) framework, which distinguishes three IC components: human, structural and relational capital. As regards business strategy, the paper adopts Miles and Snow's model, which identifies three strategic types of successful organizations: Defenders, Analysers and Prospectors. The paper explores the ways in which the three strategic types differ in weighting the single components of their IC. This study represents an attempt to extend the Miles and Snow typology including the aspect of knowledge assets. The link between knowledge asset management and strategy is investigated by means of three case studies conducted in Italian small and medium enterprises from the food sector. The paper argues that firms of different Miles and Snow strategic types have different mix of IC components.     

Resource allocations, knowledge network characteristics and entrepreneurial orientation of multinational corporations

This paper analyses entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in multinational corporations (MNCs) and develops a new typology of MNC EO based on combining R&D and asset growth investment intensities as orthogonal resource allocations. A cluster analysis of US MNCs on these two dimensions reveals three types of entrepreneurial stance: conservative, aggressive-asset growth and balanced. Internal knowledge network characteristics are shown to vary by stance, with more aggressive stances linked to knowledge governance supportive of the entrepreneurship process. In linking entrepreneurial orientation to the knowledge network of the MNC, this paper identifies factors important to the strategic management and on-going renewal of MNCs. In addition, the vector of R&D investment vs. asset growth investment is an indicator of entrepreneurial aggression and presents a new method of understanding the international strategies of MNCs.     

复杂软件系统客户创意知识分析与获取研究

复杂软件系统研发模糊前端的创意过程需要大量知识支持。其中客户拥有的知识,客户与软件研发团队交互过程中产生的知识,构成了客户创意知识,是复杂软件系统研发模糊前端创意知识的重要组成部分。为了获取客户创意知识,在系统地分析了它的内涵与类型后,采用情境交互理论构建了复杂软件系统客户创意知识获取的模型,探索了客户创意知识获取的步骤、方法、技术平台。研究发现,与传统知识获取相比,以情境交互为基础,融合信息技术、智能计算和社会网络技术的知识获取方法具有显著优势,为复杂软件系统研发模糊前端的客户创意知识获取提供了有力的支持。     

Latecomer firms and the emergence and development of knowledge networks: The case of Petrobras in Brazil

This paper addresses the emergence and development of firm-centred knowledge networks within learning and innovation systems in late-industrialising countries. A key contribution of the paper is conceptual and methodological: the development of an original typology of knowledge network properties to trace out changes in the form of networks as they evolve over time. A second contribution consists in providing an example of the application of the typology by examining the emergence and development of a firm-centred knowledge network in the case of Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company over more than 30 years between the late 1960s and the early 2000s. This demonstrates that the properties of Petrobras’ knowledge networks continuously evolved through a succession of stages towards (i) increasing intentionality in the management decision-making underlying network development, (ii) growing complexity and diversity in selected cognitive characteristics, and (iii) greater complementarity in the division of innovative labour between Petrobras and its network partners. These original results from applying the typology, in conjunction with retrospective historical methods, illustrate only one aspect of its potential value in the analysis of knowledge networks in late-industrialising economies: tracking out organisational evolution over long periods of time. Others include the comparative examination of network differences across different circumstances and the analysis of relationships between changes/differences in network properties and other characteristics of learning/innovation systems and their contexts.     

Conceptualising the heterogeneity of research-based spin-offs: A multi-dimensional taxonomy

Research-based spin-offs (RBSOs) have become an important aspect of the technology transfer process. Emanating from what is conventionally a non-commercial environment, RBSOs pose major challenges if they are to realise their potential to meet the objectives of their founders and the parent research organisations (PROs) from which they emerge. An important issue is to understand the heterogeneity of RBSOs. This paper reviews the literature on RBSO typologies to develop a taxonomy of RBSOs. We identify common themes in relation to these typologies in relation to (1) spin-off creation and (2) spin-off development. The dimensions that differentiate between firms are the type of resources, the business model and the institutional link. We identify gaps in current typologies in order to propose avenues for future conceptual and empirical research.     

浅谈研究生教育成本分担的几点隐忧

各界对研究生教育实行成本分担的呼声越来越高,成本分担的积极意义被广为研究,有相当一部分学者从国际研究生教育的成本分析中得出受教育者应该成为最大的成本承担主体的结论。基于这种形势,本文试探从研究生教育成本分担对教育公平、政府的公共政策以及大学生就业市场的影响,阐述研究生教育成本分担所带来困扰,并探讨我们对此应有的正确态度。     

我国高校R＆D知识溢出的实证研究——以高技术产业为例

区域创新体系中地理媒介知识溢出，已经成为新经济增长理论和新经济地理等学科研究的主要课题。本文依据空间计量经济学理论，运用知识生产函数模型框架，以高技术产业为例，对我国高等院校R＆D知识溢出的空间范围和程度进行了实证研究，结果表明区域内高等院校对于高技术产业的知识溢出是正向的、显著的，但溢出程度较低；相邻区域之间的高技术创新具有空间依存性，一个区域高技术产业的知识生产不仅增加自身区域的知识存量，而且会溢出到邻近区域，引起邻近区域知识存量的增加。依据实证结果，本文提出了强化知识生产与溢出的政策性建议。     

知识表示与知识相关性度量研究

知识元的挖掘与组织是知识标引的基础,但是难度较大。本文从知识元表示、知识检索、知识相关性度量等角度对知识标引的相关研究成果进行归纳,并提出一些自己的见解。     

R&D laboratory classification and public policy: The effects of environmental context on laboratory behavior

R&D laboratories have changed dramatically in the last few decades. These changes have included the emergence of new laboratory forms such as cooperative and joint venture laboratories and the evolution of existing industrial, university and government laboratories into new and different entities. The utility of classifying R&D organizations as being industrial, university or governmental in character and then further assuming certain behavioral traits based on sector status appears to be limited. Science policy analysts need an updated classification typology that captures the nature of the existing institutional framework for R&D laboratories. To address this need, this paper presents a new conceptual typology for R&D laboratory classification and evaluates the implications of this re-thinking for science policy analysts.It is argued that R&D laboratories, like most organizations, are to a large extent functions of their environment. Realizing that the environment of R&D organizations are heavily influenced by the government, the market or both, the typology presented in this paper classifies R&D organizations accordingly. The resulting classification typology establishes 9 clearly different research laboratory types.Using survey data from a study population of 250 laboratories and case study data from 32 laboratories, it was found that the typology did capture the significant structural and behavioral differences among the array of laboratories operating today. A preliminary analysis of the policy implications of the new classification typology indicates that new initiatives to increase the level of market influence on R&D laboratories or to create more cooperative research ventures should be carefully considered before implementation.     

主体风险态度对校企联盟知识转移模式的影响

指出校企联盟不同于其他同类型组织组成的联盟,有着主体知识异质性、主体属性异质性和主体非竞争性特点,结合对主体风险态度与收益关系的博弈分析以及联盟知识转移特性的分析,说明主体风险态度及其不同组合如何影响校企联盟的知识转移模式,对企业与大学科研机构选择合适的联盟模式具有指导意义。     

技术创新联盟知识转移决策的主从博弈分析

通过分析盟主企业和合作伙伴的知识转移决策对联盟合作创新的影响,建立技术创新联盟知识转移决策的主从博弈模型,指出联盟存在和发展的前提条件是盟主企业的知识边际收益足够大,合作伙伴按照各自知识边际收益的比例结构转移其知识资本,盟主企业的知识转移决策与其自身的知识边际收益正相关,与合作伙伴知识边际收益之和负相关,为联盟成员确定最佳动态竞争合作关系以及灵活机动的管理方式提供决策支持。     

Knowledge sources, patent protection, and commercialization of pharmaceutical innovations

This paper investigates different types of innovations (from radical to incremental) in the pharmaceutical industry by studying bibliometric data of drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), looking at time-to-market aspects, knowledge sources of these innovations, and protection strategies. Scientific knowledge stemming from the public sector is found to be important for all innovations. Nevertheless, radical innovations build on a higher degree on basic research, and they build on a significantly higher share of own prior scientific research than do incremental innovations. Furthermore, each drug is shown to be accompanied by, on average, about 19 journal publications and 23 additional patents. Additional patent filings peak when the commercialization of the drug is in reach. Firms do not differ among the various types of innovations regarding the amount of additional patent filings, but rather with the speed of filing these patents. Finally, this work contributes to the improvement of future econometric analyses that aim to link bibliometric indicators such as patent or publication counts to firm success.     

孵化器知识服务、获得式学习和创新孵化绩效

入驻孵化器获得知识服务是初创企业创新成长的关键。但是,能否得到有效的知识服务,往往取决于服务供给过程中孵化器的角色定位以及在孵企业的能动性行为选择。为此,基于54家孵化器376个在孵企业的问卷数据,采用跨层回归分析模型,本研究分析了规范型和背书型两类不同知识服务对创新孵化绩效的影响机制,并重点考察了在孵企业组织学习的中介作用和创业警觉的调节影响。结果发现：规范型知识服务与创新孵化绩效之间有倒U型关系,而背书型知识服务对创新孵化绩效有正向影响;在孵企业的获得式学习在两种知识服务与创新孵化绩效之间发挥中介作用;创业警觉不仅正向调节获得式学习和创新孵化绩效的关系,而且调节了获得式学习的中介效应。研究结果有助于理解引起差异化创新孵化绩效的内在原因,为孵化器改善知识服务质量提供借鉴。 〖HT5”H     

Knowing in action: Beyond communities of practice

This paper engages with the recent turn in the social sciences towards communities of practice as a driver of learning and knowledge generation across a variety of different working environments. While agreeing with the broad reinstatement of situated social practice in thinking on the dynamics of knowledge capitalism, the paper takes issue with the increasingly homogeneous and instrumentalist use of the term communities of practice to encapsulate ‘knowing in action’. On the basis of an extensive review of the available literature, the paper argues for the importance of differentiating between different varieties of knowing in action. The paper notes the differences - in organisation, spatial dynamics, innovation outcomes, and knowledge processes - between four modes: craft or task-based knowing; epistemic or high creativity knowing; professional knowing; and virtual knowing. The proposed typology is used to illustrate the insight gained from such analytical precision, through a discussion of the spatial configuration of knowing in action, long assumed to require spatial proximity. It is shown that spatial and relational proximity - which can be struck at a distance - should not be treated as one and the same.     

知识流出——连接外部环境与企业管理创新的桥梁

从知识流动视角探讨组织创新问题日益受到学术界的关注,但知识流入尤其是知识流出如何影响企业管理创新的研究还非常缺乏。在理论研究的基础上,构建了知识流出、外部环境与企业管理创新之间关系的理论模型,并考察研发投入和地理集聚对模型的控制作用。通过对458家申报广东省高新技术企业和民营科技型企业的企业问卷调查数据进行实证检验,发现知识流出以完全中介作用影响外部环境和企业管理创新的关系,且这三变量之间的关系受制于研发投入的大小和地理集聚程度的高低,即高研发投入企业中的知识流出在外部环境与管理创新之间起不完全中介作用;高地理集聚企业中的外部环境对知识流出并不存在直接的正向影响,说明企业应善于发现适合自身发展的地理环境。研究结论对完善知识和创新管理理论具有一定的学术贡献。