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基于社会网络视角的企业间知识转移影响因素实证研究

Empirical Research on Impacting Factors of Inter-enterprise Knowledge Transfer from the Perspective of Social Network

【作者】 朱亚丽

【导师】 马庆国;

【作者基本信息】 浙江大学 , 管理科学与工程, 2009, 博士

【摘要】 自Granovetter(1973)探索性地应用社会网络理论分析信息传递现象,并提出弱联结优势理论以来,从社会网络视角研究知识转移问题已逐渐成为知识管理研究领域的一种趋势。相对于传统的研究,基于社会网络视角的知识转移研究不再将进行知识转移的两个主体独立于社会环境之外,开始关注知识转移主体以外的第三方联系可能对知识转移效果产生的影响,因此,能更真实地反映个人或组织间知识转移的现实状况。本研究将社会网络的分析方法和传统的个体主义研究方法进行融合,通过探讨知识转移双方企业的网络特性与传统视角下的个体属性、知识特性等影响因素之间的相互关系,及其对知识转移效果的影响,揭示了社会网络环境下,知识转移双方网络特性对知识转移效果发生作用的内在机理。在当今战略联盟、产业集群等网络组织日益普遍的现实背景下,本文的研究,对于企业间知识转移活动具有重要的理论指导意义和现实意义。本研究通过与国内通信电源产业内32家企业的技术负责人进行深度访谈,对199家相关企业进行大规模问卷调查,并运用SPSS15.0软件对问卷调查所获得的数据进行因子分析、方差分析、相关性分析以及逐步回归分析等,主要得到如下研究结论:1.知识转移双方企业之间的联结强度、网络密度,以及知识转移双方企业各自不同的网络范围和网络中心度均能对企业间知识转移效果产生显著的正向影响。2.知识转移双方企业的网络特性对知识转移效果的影响并不是直接实现的,必须经由知识转移双方意愿以及能力的中介作用,才能得以实现。具体来说,知识源的发送意愿在其网络密度、网络中心度影响知识转移效果时具有显著的中介效应;知识源发送能力在其联结强度、网络范围、网络中心度影响知识转移效果时,具有显著的中介作用;知识接受企业接受意愿在其联结强度、网络密度影响知识转移效果时具有显著的中介作用;知识接受企业的吸收能力在其联结强度、网络范围、网络中心度影响知识转移效果时具有显著的中介作用。3.知识源企业网络范围和网络中心度在知识缄默程度与知识转移效果之间具有显著的调节作用。但是知识转移双方企业之间的联结强度、网络密度,以及知识接受企业的网络范围和网络中心度并不具有显著的调节作用。4.知识接受企业年销售收入显著正向影响知识源的发送意愿以及知识转移效果,但是当接受企业的年销售收入达到一定规模以后,知识源的发送意愿和知识转移效果不再有显著变化;知识接受企业员工人数对其吸收能力以及知识转移效果也有显著的影响,但是这个影响是阶段性跳跃式的,即接受企业员工规模只有在增长到一定程度以后,才会对其吸收能力以及知识转移效果产生显著影响,而且员工规模在达到一定程度以后若继续增长,其对吸收能力以及知识转移效果的影响会再次消失。本研究主要的创新之处在于:1.尝试性地将传统的知识转移研究中“知识源——知识接受方”的研究框架,与社会网络分析中“关系——结构”的分析方法相结合,对影响知识转移的网络特性进行探讨。以往的基于社会网络视角的知识转移研究,基本可以区分为两类:一是仅从知识源或知识接受方一个角度出发,研究其网络特性对知识转移效果的影响,研究的理论框架本身并不完整;二是研究对知识源和知识接受方均有涉及,但是对知识源和知识接受方所扮演的角色并没有进行具体的区分,因此,只能对联结强度等少数与社会网络关系要素相关的网络特性进行分析,对与社会网络结构要素相关的网络特性则无法展开讨论,因为知识转移双方关于结构要素的网络特性并不相同。本文在探讨影响知识转移效果的网络特性时,同时从知识源和知识接受企业两个主体出发,分别探讨他们各自所具有的网络特性关系维度以及结构维度对知识转移效果的影响,较之以往的研究,本文的理论框架更为完整,所探讨的网络特性维度也更为全面。在本文所研究的网络特性的相关维度中,知识源网络中心度以及知识接受方网络密度都是以往的研究所很少关注的。2.从实证分析的角度揭示了知识转移双方网络特性影响知识转移效果的内在机理。以往的大多数研究在解释网络特性何以对知识转移效果产生影响时,都仅在理论上探讨了网络特性如何通过促进知识转移双方个体属性(意愿以及能力),进而对知识转移效果产生积极影响,在实证分析时探讨的往往是网络特性与知识转移效果之间的直接关系。本文依据“知识转移双方网络特性——个体属性——知识转移效果”的研究思路,从实证分析的角度揭示网络特性发生作用的内在机理。实证分析结论部分证实了以往学者的理论分析,也得到了一些不同的结论,例如,本研究得出联结强度对知识源企业的发送意愿并没有显著的影响,这与Reagans&McEvily(2003)、Uzzi&Lancaster(2003)大多数学者所做的理论猜测截然相反。本文所得的结论说明个体在知识转移过程中的主观意愿并不完全受其所处的社会网络的制约,是Granovetter(1985)关于“个体行动者不会如奴隶般地依附于他或他们所属的社会类别赋予他们的角色”的镶嵌理论,在知识转移研究领域的进一步印证。本文通过实证分析还发现了以往的研究所很少涉及的两个结论:知识源网络中心度对其发送意愿有显著的促进作用,知识接受企业网络范围对其吸收能力有显著的促进作用。前一结论说明居于网络中心的企业对相关技术的独占性欲望是有一定限度的,其知识分享决策受网络中具有相同网络地位或技术资源优势的其他竞争对手的影响,从而将Skvoretz,Fararo&Agneessens(2004)关于“网络中被选择的节点之间存在竞争”的相关观点进一步拓展至知识管理的研究领域。后一结论说明知识接受企业在知识转移过程中并不完全处于被动地位,接受企业可以通过在网络中建立广泛的合作关系,提高自己的吸收能力,由此增强在知识转移过程中的主动程度。3.明晰了知识源和知识接受方网络特性在调节知识特性与知识转移效果之间的负向关系时所具有的差异性。以往的相关研究,多从知识源角度探讨其网络特性与知识特性的交互作用对知识转移效果的影响。本研究通过总结分析,将网络特性与知识特性之间的交互作用,进一步确定为网络特性在知识特性影响知识转移效果时的调节作用,并在具体分析时,尝试不仅从知识源角度还从知识接受方角度出发,分别探讨二者所具有的网络特性在知识特性影响知识转移效果时的调节作用。实证分析的结果显示,在知识特性与知识转移效果之间具有显著调节作用的都是知识源企业的网络特性(知识源网络范围、网络中心度),知识接受企业的网络特性并没有显著的调节作用,这一差异暗示了在缄默知识的转移过程中,取得知识源的积极配合比知识接受方自身的努力更为重要。

【Abstract】 Since exploratory application of theory regarding social network analysis to information transmission and introduction of the theory about strength of weak tie by Granovetter(1973),studying knowledge transfer from the perspective of social network has become a trend in the research field of knowledge management. Compared with traditional research,knowledge transfer study based on the perspective of social network does not put bodies involved in the knowledge transfer out of social environment any more,and begins to pay attention to a third party that may have impact on the knowledge transfer.Therefore,it can more truly reflect knowledge transfer between individuals or organizations.By integrating social network analysis with traditional individual analysis,this paper discusses the relationship between network characteristics and such impacting factors as knowledge characteristics,knowledge-source enterprise characteristics and knowledge-receiving enterprise characteristics,and the impact of the relationship on the effect of knowledge transfer,so as to explain the mechanism of how network characteristics affect knowledge transfer under the social network environment.Under today’s backdrop of strategic alliance and industrial clusters being increasingly prevalent phenomena,this paper is of theoretical and practical significance to knowledge transfer between firms.Based on in-depth interviews with chief technology officers in 32 enterprises and survey conducted on 199 firms in communication power supply industry,the author uses processing software SPSS15.0 to analyze data obtained in terms of factor analysis,ANOVA,correlation analysis and stepwise liner regression.The following conclusions are drawn:1.Tie strength,network density,network ranges and network centralities of both the receiving enterprise and the source enterprise have a significantly positive effect on the effect of knowledge transfer. 2.The impact of network characteristics on inter-enterprise knowledge transfer is not direct.Instead,it must be dependent on the mediator of willingness and abilities of two parties.Specifically,willingness of knowledge source enterprise has a significantly intermediate effect on result of knowledge transfer affected by network density and network centrality;transfer capacity of source enterprise has a significantly intermediate effect on result of knowledge transfer affected by tie strength,and its network range and centrality;willingness of receiving enterprise has a significantly intermediate effect on result of knowledge transfer affected by tie strength and network density;absorptive capacity of receiving enterprise has a significantly intermediate effect on result of knowledge transfer affected by tie strength,and its network range and density.3.Network range and network centrality of source enterprise can significantly moderate the relationship between tacit of knowledge and effect of knowledge transfer.However,the moderating effect of tie strength,network density,and recipient’s network range and network centrality are insignificant.4.Recipient’s annual sales revenue will positively affect knowledge source’s willingness and effectiveness of knowledge transfer.However,if sales revenue exceeds a certain point the effect of sales revenue on knowledge source’s willingness and effectiveness of knowledge transfer is not significant any more.The number of employees in recipient firm also has a significant effect on its absorptive capacity and effectiveness of knowledge transfer,however,such effect is stepwise.That is to say, only the number of employee in recipient firm reaches a certain point does it have a significant effect on absorptive capacity and effectiveness of knowledge transfer, moreover,if the number of employees continues to rise,this positive effect will diminish.The innovative contributions of this paper can be classified into three points:1.Integrate "knowledge of the source-knowledge of the recipient" framework in traditional knowledge transfer study and "relationship-structure" approach in social network analysis so as to explore the dimensions of network characteristics which affect knowledge transfer.Regarding the effect of network characteristics on knowledge transfer,previous studies can be classified as the two kinds.One kind of researches only involves knowledge source or recipient to study the effect of network characteristics on knowledge transfer,which results from an incomplete theoretical framework.The other kind incorporates both source and recipient but doesn’t distinguish between them.Therefore,only a few network characteristics related to social network’s relationship such as tie strength are analyzed,and other network characteristics in relation to social network’s structure have not been discussed,because network characteristics about structure of the two parties are different.This paper discusses the dimensions of network characteristics both from the perspective of source enterprise and receiving enterprise so that the effect of their respective network relationship dimensions and network structure dimensions is explored.This paper puts forward a more complete theoretical framework and explores more comprehensive network characteristics dimensions than previous studies.The network centrality of source enterprise and the network density of receiving enterprise in this paper are neglected in previous studies.2.Reveal the mechanism of how network characteristics affect knowledge transfer through empirical analysis.Most previous studies only perform a theoretical discussion on the mediating effect of individual attributes(willingness and ability) when explaining how the network characteristics affect knowledge transfer.As for the empirical analysis only the direct relationship between network characteristics and effect of knowledge transfer is explored.This paper,based on "knowledge transfer network characteristics of the two sides-the individual attributes-the effect of knowledge transfer" research ideas,reveals the mechanism of how network characteristics affect knowledge transfer through empirical analysis.Empirical analysis has partly confirmed theoretical analysis of some scholars,and arrived at a number of different conclusions. For example,tie strength does not have a significant impact on willingness of source enterprise,which is completely different from theory held by most scholars including Reagans & McEvily(2003) and Uzzi & Lancaster(2003).Conclusions of this paper show that the willingness of individual in the knowledge transfer process is not entirely subject to social network,which has further verified Granavotter’s(1985) conclusion that "individuals will not act upon roles defined by society like slaves" in the field of knowledge transfer.In this paper,empirical analysis also found two conclusions that were little studied in the past:Firstly,the network centrality of source enterprise positively affects its willingness of sending knowledge,and further affects the effect of knowledge transfer.This conclusion reveals that there is limitation on desire of the source enterprise to monopolize some technology when it occupies central network position.Its knowledge-sharing decision is affected by competitors with similar status or technical resources.The theory proposed by Skvoretz,Fararo & Agneessens(2004) that there is competition between chosen network nodes is confirmed in the field of knowledge transfer.Secondly,the network range of receiving enterprise positively affects its absorptive capacity,and further affects the effect of knowledge transfer. This conclusion shows that recipient is not entirely in a passive position in the process of knowledge transfer,and recipient enterprise can build a broad range of business partnerships with firms in the network,so as to improve absorptive capacity,and enhance initiative in the course of knowledge transfer.3.Clarify the difference of two parties’ network characteristics when they moderate the negative relationship between knowledge characteristics and knowledge transfer effect.Previous studies only discuss the impact of the interaction terms constructed by network characteristics and knowledge characteristics on the effect of knowledge transfer from the perspective of source enterprise.Based on past studies,this paper has further identified the interaction as the moderating effect of networks characteristics on the result that knowledge characteristics affect knowledge transfer. In specific analysis,the author tries to discuss such moderating effect from the perspective both source enterprise and receiving enterprise. Empirical analysis of this paper shows that only the network characteristics of source enterprise have significant moderating effect,while the moderating effect of receiving enterprise’s network characteristics have not found.This conclusion also implies during the transfer of knowledge with relatively high degree of tacit,it is more important to get active coordination from source enterprise than efforts of the receiving enterprise.

  • 【网络出版投稿人】 浙江大学
  • 【网络出版年期】2010年 05期
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