Inter- and intra-firm effects in the diffusion of new process technology

Using primarily the example of Computerised Numerically Controlled Machine Tools (CNC) in the UK metalworking and engineering industry, it is shown that, even many years after the date of first use of a new technology, although the larger proportion of firms may be using that technology, because the extent of intra-firm diffusion is limited, the proportion of total industry output produced on that technology may be quite small. Using backward projection techniques it is further shown that intra-firm diffusion tends to lag behind inter-firm diffusion over the whole of the diffusion process and inter-firm diffusion patterns and extent may thus be poor indicators of overall diffusion. Although intra-firm diffusion is therefore crucial to the understanding of overall diffusion patterns the existing literature relating to it has severe limitations and there are no associated policy results. It is argued that much greater emphasis should be placed on intra-firm issues in future diffusion research. It is also suggested that discussions of intra-firm policy could usefully proceed within the context of already established general diffusion policy principles.     

Understanding the roles of institutional pressures and organizational innovativeness in contextualized transformation toward e-business: Evidence from agricultural firms

E-business is of increasing significance in promoting agricultural economic development and restructuring and upgrading, yet agricultural firms’ transformation toward e-business in China is at a low level. To gain insights to why and how agricultural firms intend to accept or resist the revolutionary innovation of e-business, this study draws on the perspective of institutional theory and organizational innovativeness to develop an integrative model to fathom factors affecting transformation to e-business in agricultural firms in China. By analyzing the impacts of institutional pressures on perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and subsequent e-business transformation intention, the empirical results indicate that mimetic pressure, coercive pressure, and normative pressure have different levels of positive effects on perceived benefits; normative pressure has a significantly negative impact on perceived barriers, while mimetic pressure and coercive pressure have no significant effect on perceived barriers. Perceived benefits and organizational innovativeness have significantly positive impacts on e-business transformation intention, while perceived barriers have no significant effect. Perceived benefits play a partial mediating role between institutional pressures and e-business transformation intention.     

地理邻近对企业创新绩效的影响

本文运用2003-2016年中国生物技术企业的面板数据,考察了地理邻近对企业创新绩效的影响,同时将企业内部网络特征纳入研究框架,分析了企业内部网络的集聚度和平均路径长度对地理邻近与企业创新绩效关系的调节作用。研究结果表明,地理邻近促进企业创新绩效的提升;企业内部网络的集聚度正向调节地理邻近对企业创新绩效的促进作用;企业内部网络的平均路径长度负向调节地理邻近对企业创新绩效的促进作用。本文研究结论对中国企业的内部知识结构设计提供借鉴。     

制度压力、网络位置与集群企业电商实践采纳

制度压力下,企业实践是趋同还是趋异？综合复杂制度理论和资源基础理论,以产业集群为背景,以集群企业电商实践采纳为落脚点,理论和实证分析了制度压力和网络中心度对企业电商实践采纳的影响机理。研究发现,制度压力不仅对集群企业电商实践采纳具有显著正向的主效应,同时与网络中心度对集群企业电商采纳行为具有方向不同的交互效应。其中,规制压力下,中心位置的集群企业更倾向采纳;在规范压力之下,边缘位置的集群企业更倾向于采纳。     

电子商务应用成功的衡量标准研究

网络强化组织正面临开发与使用有效的衡量标准以评价电子商务活动成功的压力.针对电子商务应用成功衡量标准的设计问题,发现了新衡量标准的五个基本特征,设计了全面而合理的电子商务应用成功衡量标准的三个关键维度,并识别了这些关键衡量标准之间的逻辑关系.对BS公司的案例分析验证了这三个维度衡量标准的有效性.     

电子商务模式及其在我国进出口公司的应用

企业如何开展电子商务,一个关键的问题是要选择一种合适的电子商务模式。本文在对国内外各种电子商务模式的相关研究进行分析的基础上,结合对我国进出口公司的现状及发展趋势进行调研分析的结果,提出了一种适合我国进出口公司的分阶段电子商务发展模式。     

Inter- and intra-firm diffusion of technology: The example of E-commerce: An analysis based on Swiss firm-level data

The paper aims at a joint analysis of inter-and intra-firm diffusion of technology, taking as an example E-selling and E-purchasing. The analysis is based on an encompassing model of diffusion, drawn from the literature, which is extended by considering technology-specific obstacles and benefits of adoption. As hypothesised, we find, first, that the determinants of inter- and intra-firm diffusion differ in case of both types of E-commerce; secondly, that the drivers of the diffusion of E-selling and E-purchasing are not the same, and, finally, that uncertainties and adjustment costs, mostly neglected in previous work, are important factors in explaining technology diffusion.     

一种面向企业电子商务的治理参考模型

针对企业电子商务发展过程中遭遇到的制度设计层面的问题,引入治理的思想,借鉴ISO38500提出的IT治理模型,提出一种面向企业电子商务的治理参考模型,帮助企业系统地思考和设计电子商务的相关制度,更好地引导、控制和激励电子商务活动中的期望行为,提高电子商务项目的成功率.     

Collaboration in demand-driven supply chain: Based on a perspective of governance and IT-business strategic alignment

In today’s marketplace, firms participating in a supply chain are required to work collaboratively to quickly respond to market and consumer demands. To understand how firms may effectively achieve supply chain collaboration, this paper presents an empirical study using a moderated mediation model that explores the effects of formal contract, e-business strategic alignment (including intellectual and operational alignment) and the degree of competition on collaboration in demand-driven supply chain. Using data from a survey of IT and business executives in 209 firms, we discover that formal contract has a positive effect on supply chain collaboration through intellectual and operational alignment. In addition, the positive mediating effect of operational alignment is stronger under a higher degree of competition. Although there is no moderated mediation effect in the path of formal contract-intellectual alignment-supply chain collaboration, the degree of competition shows a negative moderated effect on the relationship between formal contract and intellectual alignment, and a positive moderated effect on the relationship between intellectual alignment and supply chain collaboration. Learnings from this study contribute to supply chain management literature, and provide a comprehensive view of the governance and strategic antecedents of supply chain collaboration under various environmental circumstances.     

Open service innovation and the firm's search for external knowledge

The concept of open innovation captures the increasing propensity of firms to work across their traditional boundaries of operation. This phenomenon has largely been studied from the viewpoint of manufacturing businesses while services have received much less attention despite the predominant role they play in advanced economies. This paper focuses on open innovation in services, both as a subsector of the economy and as a component of the activities of manufacturing firms. We study the open innovation practices of business services firms and then consider the implications for open innovation of the adoption of a service inclusive business model by manufacturing firms. Our analyses are based on a unique dataset with information on open innovation activities amongst UK firms. Overall, engagement in open innovation increases with firm size and R&D expenditure. Business services are more active open innovators than manufacturers; they are more engaged in informal relative to formal open innovation practices than manufacturers; and they attach more importance to scientific and technical knowledge than to market knowledge compared to manufacturing firms. Open innovation practices are also associated with the adoption of a service inclusive business model in manufacturing firms and service-integrated manufacturers engage in more informal knowledge-exchange activities. The paper contributes towards a reconceptualisation of open innovation in service businesses and a deeper evidence-based understanding of the service economy.     

Institutional frameworks and innovation in the German and UK pharmaceutical industry

This paper analyzes how governance structures impact the innovation capabilities of leading German and UK firms in the pharmaceutical industry. Our main objective is to show how variation in national institutional frameworks influences the innovation process, and thus, relative performance. There are two main conclusions. First, the corporate governance structure allowed leading UK firms to more quickly adapt than German firms to rapidly changing external environmental conditions in the global pharmaceutical industry. Secondly, leading UK firms have an advantage in generating innovative drugs (“blockbusters”) than do German firms due to the nature of the institutional framework in which they are embedded.     

Differential empirical innovation factors for Spain and the UK

This study considers the role of national differences, derived from structural characteristics in each country, and how they impact on companies’ innovation. To do this we include in a firm-level empirical model of innovation traditional factors impacting on innovation, and measure any differences in these determinants between two countries: the UK (comprising more advanced regions) and Spain (which belongs to the “follower” groups of countries in Europe). Using the European Community Innovation Surveys (CIS4), we select two samples comprising private manufacturing firms and estimate a two-step Heckman model to explain firms’ innovation. Our results suggest that Spanish firms are at a different stage, with Spain lagging behind the UK in terms of being able to benefit from R&D. Thus in Spain, we find that public support is more important in promoting innovation activities; whereas linkages with international markets are more important for companies in the UK. Based on our results, we would argue that in order to reduce the technological gap between these two countries regional policies to promote innovation in Spain should concentrate more on the promotion of market relationships between co-located firms; while a greater exposure to internationalisation would benefit both countries.     

Product architecture,organizational capabilities and IT integration for competitive advantage

Increasingly, firms recognize the strategic implications of front-end product design for improving total cost effectiveness. Computer-aided design (CAD) is becoming firms’ competitive weapon beyond its traditional function as a product design tool. Yet, it is unclear how the full potential of IT system, particularly the usage patterns of 3D CAD system, may be realized through organizational capabilities. This paper presents a model of IT system configurations and CAD usage patterns. Next, a typology of IT system configurations is presented based on (1) the degree of CAD integration between assembly makers and suppliers and (2) the structure of product design information (i.e., product architecture). The product architecture of four electronic firms illustrates that information integration through organizational capabilities is more important than IT investment itself. The findings suggest that a Korean firm accomplishes a greater level of IT integration compared to the other two Japanese firms and thus attain better market performance. This study offers valuable insight on effective IT integration strategy for competitive advantage in the global market.     

The role of technology standards in product innovation: Theory and evidence from UK manufacturing firms

This paper studies the role of technology standards in firms’ product innovation in terms of both incremental innovation (within a technology life cycle) and radical innovation (beyond the present technology cycle). We first develop a theoretical model which predicts that technology standards can be used by firms as an “insurance” hedging against the risky process of developing new products. This insurance mechanism fosters incremental innovation and product growth especially for those further away from the technological frontier. Using data from a weighted panel of UK manufacturing firms over seven years, we find that the use of technology standards over past years significantly enables a firm’s incremental innovation while also reducing its incentive to deliver radical innovation. Additionally, we show that this relationship is contingent on a firm’s R&D intensity in line with predictions of our theoretical model.     

Technological diversity of persistent innovators in Japan: Two case studies of large Japanese firms

We have investigated two large Japanese firms with their patent data, technological histories and product sales data of over 30 years especially in terms of intra-firm technology diversification and interactions between multiple technological trajectories. Patent data showed the process of emergencies of technological trajectories and interactions (cross-fertilization) between them quantitatively. Both persistence and diversity of technology have contributed to product diversification and sales growth. Based on our findings we have demonstrated that taking advantage of economies of scope in technology through persistence and diversification is necessary for a technology-based firm if it is to survive and to grow for a prolonged period of time.     

基于电子商务的专业市场价值链模型重塑研究

基于互联网经济背景,对通过电子商务资源配置实现专业市场价值链重塑的过程进行质性研究,提出专业市场电子商务资源配置的价值链模型,揭示专业市场价值链重塑的内在机理,破解电子商务资源配置在专业市场价值链重塑中的两大难题：（1）能否通过电子商务资源的有效配置实现专业市场价值链重塑？（2）专业市场如何完成对电子商务资源的有效配置？采用质性研究方法,选取义乌小商品城和绍兴轻纺城两个专业市场作为研究对象,研究结果发现：专业市场通过电子商务资源的合理配置可以实现价值链重塑目标,重塑的模型为资源整合、能力提升、价值链跃迁。研究成果补充并完善了互联网经济视阈下的流通理论,并为实践中的传统专业市场与电子商务的深度融合提供了建议。     

后发者如何实现快速追赶？——一个二次商业模式创新和技术创新的共演模型

 中国的电子商务企业在过去10余年间,通过建立自主的技术研发与市场结构,成功实现了对发达国家领先企业的快速追赶。在中国独特的技术与市场情境下它们究竟是如何实现快速追赶的？本文选取阿里巴巴集团作为研究案例,提出了二次商业模式创新与技术创新的共演模型,较好地展现了两者的共演机制与共演阶段。二次商业模式创新的演进始于后发企业对支撑技术的引进,通过“二次商业模式创新—市场结构—竞争战略—技术创新—二次商业模式创新”的循环路径形成与本地技术创新的共演机制,并经过“支撑技术引进—自主技术创新—新兴技术引领”三个共演阶段,推动本地技术的快速发展与追赶。这一共演模型从二次商业模式创新与技术创新的复合视角丰富了后发企业追赶理论,为后发企业创新实践提供了借鉴。     

风险投资对高科技企业商标行为的影响

对高科技企业而言,反映品牌意识和创新能力的商标是其成败的关键因素之一。本文旨在研究企业风险投资的获得对其商标行为的影响。在相关理论回顾的基础上,本文提出了关于企业风险投资的获得对商标注册的可能性和注册商标所保护的市场范围之影响的基本关系假设,并用192家英国微米纳米技术行业企业面板数据进行了实证研究。因为商标注册的可能性是一个虚拟变量,所以本文采用logit模型对其进行回归;而注册商标所保护的市场范围在本文是计数变量,因此,本文采用负二项分布模型和泊松分布模型对其回归。结果表明,风险投资的获得不仅显著促进企业的商标申请,而且对商标所保护的市场范围也有显著影响。因此,国家应该大力发展风险投资,鼓励风险投资流向高科技企业,培育高科技企业的商标行为意识。     

Knowledge to money: Assessing the business performance effects of publicly-funded R&D grants

UK Research Councils (UKRCs) spend around £3bn pa supporting R&D and innovation. We provide a comprehensive assessment of these grants on the performance of participating UK firms, using data on all projects funded by UKRCs over the 2004–2016 period and applying a propensity score matching approach. We exploit the richness of the data available in the Gateway to Research database by investigating the heterogeneous effect of these projects across several novel directions which have not been explored before. We find a positive effect on the employment and turnover growth of participating firms, both in the short and in the medium term. Exploring impacts across different types of firms we find stronger performance impacts for firms in R&D intensive industries and for smaller and less productive firms. We also consider how impacts vary depending on the characteristics of the funded research projects in terms of partners characteristics, receipt of other research grants and grant value. Finally, we focus on the different sources of grants, analysing in particular the evolution in the funding strategy of Innovate UK. Our results have implications for the extent and targeting of future Research Council funding both in the UK and elsewhere.     

电子商务生态系统及其协调机制研究——以阿里巴巴集团为例

就我国出现的电子商务生态化现象,提出电子商务生态系统的概念。发现分属不同经济实体成员间的冲突影响电子商务生态系统的总体效益,各成员间的协调问题成为制约电子商务生态系统进一步发展的主要因素。从系统所面临的问题着手,提出关系、利益、信息、运作四大协调机制,并以阿里巴巴集团为核心的电子商务生态系统为例,分析其协调机制以及阿里巴巴作为核心企业的作用。