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1 – 10 of over 60000Bing Peng-Loong Wong, M. Abu Saleh, Raechel Johns and Ravi Chinta
Despite the important role that exploitation plays in innovation and new product development (NPD), research on the relative impact of internal organisational stocks of existing…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the important role that exploitation plays in innovation and new product development (NPD), research on the relative impact of internal organisational stocks of existing knowledge on subsequent exploitation is largely absent. In particular, there is lack of clarity within the extant literature regarding the associations between organisational exploitation and, respectively, the distal-proximal technological experience and radical-incremental innovative experience generated by multiproduct firms. Thus, this study seeks to further enhance researchers’ theoretical understanding on the relationship between organisational exploitation and internal knowledge stocks categorised along two dimensions of organisational experience accumulated by multiproduct firms that have not previously been considered jointly.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper pursues a focussed literature review approach and applies the underlying theory of exploitation to develop a theory explaining the possible relationships between organisational exploitation and internal knowledge stocks.
Findings
Based on the theory of exploitation, this paper proposes a new direction in studying the various internal knowledge stocks and their respective impact on subsequent organisational exploitation.
Practical implications
The proposed research direction suggests an emerging framework of possible relationships between exploitative new radical products development in firms, and respectively, proximal and distal technological experience, and radical and incremental innovative experience, accumulated in multiproduct firms. This novel framework can guide further research on this topic.
Originality/value
To fill a research gap regarding the possible relationships between subsequent exploitative endeavours and two dimensions of organisational experience that have been traditionally associated with the exploration-exploitation construct, this paper proposes and develops a novel typology of knowledge stocks categorised along two dimensions of organisational experience accumulated by multiproduct firms that have not previously been considered jointly in the literature.
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Qianwen Zhou, Xiaopeng Deng, Bon-Gang Hwang and Miao Yu
Although knowledge transfer in the context of projects and project-based organizations (PBOs) has gained increasing attention from academia and industry, it is not clear how…
Abstract
Purpose
Although knowledge transfer in the context of projects and project-based organizations (PBOs) has gained increasing attention from academia and industry, it is not clear how knowledge transfers from projects to their parent PBOs. This research aims to explore the main factors influencing knowledge transfer from projects to their parent PBOs, and analyze how these factors integrate the transfer process as system components using the system dynamics (SD) method.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature review, investigation and interview, this paper adopts the event analysis to obtain the influencing factors from historical cases and establishes a conceptual model of knowledge transfer from five dimensions, which simultaneously considers the knowledge sender, knowledge receiver and the relationship between the knowledge sender and receiver, knowledge features and transfer context. Then, the relationships between variables in the qualitative model were clarified, and a quantitative model including seven feedback loops was established using the SD model. Lastly, the system simulation and sensitivity analysis of the main parameters were realized in Vensim PLE software.
Findings
The simulation analysis results show that the model can simulate the knowledge transfer process from projects to the PBO to a certain extent. This research fully demonstrates the impact of variables from five dimensions on knowledge transfer and incorporates the knowledge gap and transfer threshold in the research category. Moreover, the rationality of seven feedback loops proposed in the model was verified. And the effects of various factors on the amount of knowledge transferred and the PBO's knowledge stock were examined through sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, recommendations for developing an integrated knowledge transfer mechanism of PBOs and projects to enhance transfer effect are offered.
Research limitations/implications
This research provides other researchers with a systematic understanding of transfer process from projects to PBOs, and insight for further research on knowledge transfer in project and organization contexts. Furthermore, this study guides researchers to focus on the causal processes that constitute knowledge transfer and explores the expected and unexpected phenomena generated over time. However, some variables involved in the transfer process are simplified, and the establishment of a more complex dynamic model needs further research and discussion.
Practical implications
By establishing a simulation model for knowledge transfer from projects to their parent PBOs, this study helps project teams and PBOs grasp the overall picture of the transfer process. Especially, this paper provides target-oriented recommendations for project and PBO managers to implement effective knowledge transfer practices, which have certain practical values for knowledge cultivation, coordination, reuse and innovation in the organization.
Originality/value
This study contributes to knowledge management and project management literature by simulating the knowledge transfer process from projects to their parent PBOs. Additionally, this paper provides a reference for PBO and project managers to establish an integrated knowledge-transfer mechanism in the work process and comprehensively implement effective knowledge transfer practices.
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Despite the established significance of absorptive capacity, there is a worrying lack of research that empirically examines its antecedents. With a call for investigation guided…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the established significance of absorptive capacity, there is a worrying lack of research that empirically examines its antecedents. With a call for investigation guided by the knowledge-based theory, the purpose of this paper is to bridge any probable gap by exploring the effect that an organization’s knowledge stock and its knowledge integrating mechanisms have on the development of its absorptive capacity.
Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of a survey administered to a sample comprising owners of small Indian automotive firms, this paper empirically examines the direct effect of an organization’s knowledge stock (including knowledge breadth and depth) and the moderating role of its structure-related mechanisms (e.g., formalization) on its potential and realized absorptive capacities. The study uses survey data from 226 small business owners and multiple linear regression analysis to examine the significance of its hypotheses.
Findings
The results show that knowledge stock has a statistically notable influence on a small firm’s absorptive capacity. The enabling role of formalization in the relationship between knowledge stock and absorptive capacity is also evident.
Practical implications
Given the handicap of small firms vis-à-vis large firms to deploy internal R&D capabilities, business owners must ensure not to confuse absorptive capacity with the pre-existence of R&D capabilities.
Originality/value
The unbundling of knowledge stock into breadth and depth of knowledge enables business owners and researchers to understand how any particular knowledge stock can relate to an organization’s absorptive capacity.
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Huimin Liu, Yanru Yu, Yuxing Sun and Xue Yan
The owners of mega projects typically assemble multiple academic research units and enterprises to form an innovation alliance, which carries out knowledge transfer and knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
The owners of mega projects typically assemble multiple academic research units and enterprises to form an innovation alliance, which carries out knowledge transfer and knowledge creation targeting technical challenges in the process of engineering construction. Due to high technical and management complexity of mega projects, factors affecting knowledge transfer among innovation subjects are complex and diverse. This study proposes a mixed system dynamics (SD) method to build and simulate the process of knowledge transfer in mega projects innovation and analyzes the driving mechanism that enhances knowledge stock of enterprises and engineering innovation results.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this paper proposes a conceptual model for knowledge transfer in mega projects by adopting event analysis of the data gained from investigations and interviews. Then, a qualitative model of knowledge transfer that considers mutual influences of the owner, academic research unit and enterprises is developed. Based on that, mathematical relationship among variables of the qualitative model is determined and a quantitative model of knowledge transfer that considers heterogeneity of knowledge sender is built. Finally, simulation is achieved using Vensim software.
Findings
The factors affecting knowledge stock of enterprises are analyzed from three aspects: (1) the individual motives and capability of academic research units and enterprises; (2) the gap between academic research units and enterprises; (3) the heterogeneity of academic research units. The results show that the willingness and capability of knowledge reception by enterprises, specific knowledge transfer context such as relational distance and organization distance between academic research units and enterprises and academic research units with high knowledge stock have key influences on the knowledge stock of enterprises.
Research limitations/implications
Factors affecting knowledge transfer within the alliance of innovation in mega projects and their correlations are highly complicated and difficult to determine. Despite massive investigations and interviews on many long-span bridges in China in this study, it is barely possible to directly obtain accurate data for all variables in the model. Limitations of historical data result in limitations on applications of the proposed model.
Practical implications
By building the mega projects knowledge transfer model and conducting simulation analysis, this paper has generated practical values for the owners of mega projects on fostering, organizing, coordinating and managing of innovations. Especially, this study provides specific strategies and suggestions on selection of innovation subjects, motivation and guaranteed efficiency of knowledge transfer and knowledge creation of academic research units and enterprises.
Originality/value
This study proposes a conceptual model for factors affecting knowledge transfer that applies to innovations in mega project context, which fills the gap in the research of knowledge management in mega project innovations. Additionally, combining with the method of SD, the unique role of owner in knowledge transfer of mega projects and the differences among various knowledge senders and their influences on knowledge stocks of enterprises are thoroughly considered, and the research method of modeling and simulation of knowledge transfer mechanism is supplemented and extended.
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Cheng‐Yu Lee and Yen‐Chih Huang
This study aims to examine the relationships among knowledge stock, ambidextrous learning, and firm performance while considering the moderating effect of firm size.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationships among knowledge stock, ambidextrous learning, and firm performance while considering the moderating effect of firm size.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses R&D scoreboard database to produce a sample of 312 firms which operate in technologically intensive industries. To test the research hypotheses, regression analysis is employed.
Findings
The major findings are: the positive performance implications of ambidextrous learning; knowledge stock as an antecedent of ambidextrous learning; the mediating role of ambidextrous learning; and firm size as a contingency factor that strengthens the influence of ambidextrous learning on firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the scope of the research, only patent data were used to measure knowledge stock and ambidextrous learning. However, the measurement of these variables may have been influenced by the availability of patent information.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that realizing superior performance is dependent on a firm's accumulated knowledge stock and its ability to balance exploratory and exploitative learning. Large firms extract more value from ambidextrous learning than small firms.
Originality/value
This study is the first to identify the mediating role of ambidextrous learning in the relationship between knowledge stock and firm performance and to confirm that firm size moderates the relationship between ambidextrous learning and firm performance. The value of this study lies in developing a model of ambidextrous learning that includes both mediating and moderating variables.
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Md Farid Talukder and Haibo Wang
Since the subject matters of human resources activities on knowledge intensive firms have been changed by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study aims to analyze…
Abstract
Purpose
Since the subject matters of human resources activities on knowledge intensive firms have been changed by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study aims to analyze the impact of stock options on talent retention (knowledge worker retention) and knowledge productivity (innovation) in terms of patents, which directly affect the financial performance of knowledge intensive firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on agency and contingency theory to design the causality model, this study analyzes the data obtained from 227 publicly traded knowledge intensive firms in information technology (IT) and healthcare sectors. Panel data analysis is used to determine the long run causal relationship between firm innovation, knowledge worker retention and financial performance, in addition to ANOVA for evaluating firm size as a lurking variable on the effect of stock options.
Findings
The results of this study demonstrate that, when firm size is taken into account, (1) stock options significantly affect knowledge worker retention and firms' financial performance, and this impact is stronger in a during-pandemic situation than in a pre-pandemic situation (2) firm innovation significantly affects firms' financial performance and this impact is stronger in a during-pandemic situation than in a pre-pandemic situation; (3) knowledge worker retention doesn't have a significant impact on firm innovation and firms' financial performance. Moreover, random effect regression analysis for long-term relationships also depicts the same results: knowledge worker retention has non-significant impact on firm innovation and financial performance, but firm innovation significantly affects financial performance.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, the authors are the first to compare the effects of stock options, knowledge worker retention and firm innovation in both pre- and during-pandemic scenarios where firm size is taken into consideration.
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Indu Ramachandran, Cynthia A. Lengnick-Hall and Vishag Badrinarayanan
This paper aims to develop and empirically test a framework articulating the effects of strategic orientations (entrepreneurial orientation and market orientation) on leveraging…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop and empirically test a framework articulating the effects of strategic orientations (entrepreneurial orientation and market orientation) on leveraging ambidexterity. Further, the paper examines the moderating effects of knowledge stock (market knowledge and technological knowledge) on the relationship between ambidexterity and firm performance to gain additional insights into how ambidexterity can be leveraged in an organization.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from CEOs (or equivalent members of the top management team) of 234 firms. The adequacy and psychometric properties of all measures were evaluated and purified using a maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the hypotheses were tested using ordinary least squares (OLS). A number of post hoc tests were conducted to develop a nuanced understanding of proposed effects.
Findings
While both strategic orientations enhance an organization’s ability to be ambidextrous, results show that some types of knowledge stocks facilitate, whereas other types hinder the influence of ambidexterity on firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
Both strategic orientations enable ambidexterity; however, technological knowledge stock impedes the effect of ambidexterity on firm performance, while market knowledge stock enhances this relation. Cross-sectional nature of the study imposes limitations on causal inferences.
Practical implications
Different strategic orientations provide organizations with a cluster of knowledge acquisition and utilization capabilities that enable ambidexterity. However, organizations should be wary of indiscriminate accumulation of knowledge stocks – while certain types enhance the effect of ambidexterity, others may create competency traps or core rigidities and inhibit the effect of ambidexterity.
Originality/value
This study integrates related, yet hitherto fragmented, research streams to demonstrate the interconnectedness between strategic orientations, ambidexterity and existing knowledge stock. Several theoretical and managerial implications are identified.
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The aim of this paper is double. First, it provides a conceptual framework linking human resource management, organisational learning and knowledge management. Second, the paper…
Abstract
The aim of this paper is double. First, it provides a conceptual framework linking human resource management, organisational learning and knowledge management. Second, the paper builds a causal model and tests it with a sample of firms from the Spanish manufacturing industry, using a structural equation modelling technique. In particular, after the performance of a cluster analysis, a group of 72 learning firms is identified and used to test our model. Finally, major conclusions and implications for management are drawn and further avenues for research are suggested.
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The purpose of this paper is to identify how organizational learning processes influence perceived organizational performance and examine the moderating roles of organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify how organizational learning processes influence perceived organizational performance and examine the moderating roles of organizational justice and trust in managers therein.
Design/methodology/approach
This study develops a theoretical model to exhibit how knowledge acquisition and transfer activities influence perceived organizational performance. Data were collected from 515 respondents and analyzed by PROCESS macro for SPSS.
Findings
This study found that feedback learning flows are strongly mediated between learning stocks and organizational performance. It also found that organizational justice moderates the effect of learning stocks on organizational performance through feed-forward learning flows, while trust in manager moderates the effect of learning stocks on organizational performance through feedback learning flows.
Research limitations/implications
This study has a limitation in which it uses self-report data to measure all constructs. The objective measure may be necessary for future study.
Practical implications
The implications of this study are twofold. First, it finds that the higher organizational justice, the better the transfer of knowledge from the bottom up. When firms need to explore new knowledge, fairness in procedure and the distribution system is critical. Second, the higher the trust in management, the better the transfer of knowledge from the top down. The role of managers is instrumental in persuading employees and disseminating knowledge.
Originality/value
Combining functionalist and critical perspectives and developing a theoretical model, this study contributes to the understanding of how trust and justice facilitate learning activities within organizations.
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N Venkatraman and Hüseyin Tanriverdi
Strategy researchers have become fascinated with the possibilities for developing theoretical perspectives rooted in knowledge and intellectual assets as drivers of superior…
Abstract
Strategy researchers have become fascinated with the possibilities for developing theoretical perspectives rooted in knowledge and intellectual assets as drivers of superior performance. However, there have been many different schools of thought, each with its own conceptualization lenses and operationalization approaches. In this chapter, we focus on three schools of thought: (1) knowledge as stocks; (2) knowledge as flow; and (3) knowledge as a driver of an organizational capability. We use them to: (a) lay out the distinct approaches to conceptualization and operationalization of strategy-related concepts; and (b) identify specific ways to enhance theory-method correspondence. We believe that considerable progress could be made towards developing a knowledge-based view of strategy but only when accompanied by serious attention to measurement and methodological issues.