Using External Knowledge to Improve Organizational Innovativeness: Understanding the Knowledge Leveraging Process

Xinchun Wang, D. Arnett, Limin Hou
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引用次数: 42

Abstract

Organizations struggle constantly to develop competitive advantages over rivals because advantages are often short-lived. As a result, the marketplace is in a constant state of change. To be successful in this environment, managers must find ways to innovate – again and again. That is, they must continually introduce new processes, products, or ideas to the organization. However, the question is, “How can organizations continue to be innovative?” Innovation requires companies to develop new knowledge and expertise. Yet, many organizations find it difficult to acquire the necessary capabilities on their own. Consequently, many of them turn to partners for assistance. In order to have a better understanding of this process, this study proposes a knowledge leveraging process model, which hypothesizes (1) joint sensemaking is a key antecedent to both explicit and tacit knowledge exchange, (2) a dual role for explicit knowledge exchange (i.e., as an antecedent of both tacit knowledge exchange and absorptive capacity), and (3) absorptive capacity is a key mediator between knowledge exchange (both explicit and tacit) and organizational innovativeness. Using survey data gathered from over 230 Chinese companies, the results suggest key roles for both joint sensemaking and absorptive capacity in the knowledge exchange process. In addition, our findings provide evidence regarding the interplay between explicit and tacit knowledge exchange and their role in the leveraging process. The study increases our understanding of how organizations leverage external knowledge to improve organizational innovativeness. In addition, it provides specific guidance for managers interested in leveraging external knowledge.
利用外部知识提高组织创新能力:对知识杠杆过程的理解
组织不断努力发展相对于对手的竞争优势,因为优势往往是短暂的。因此,市场处于不断变化的状态。要在这种环境中取得成功,管理者必须找到创新的方法——一次又一次。也就是说,他们必须不断地向组织引入新的过程、产品或想法。然而,问题是,“组织如何才能持续创新?”创新要求公司开发新的知识和专业技能。然而,许多组织发现自己很难获得必要的能力。因此,他们中的许多人向伙伴寻求援助。为了更好地理解这一过程,本研究提出了一个知识撬动过程模型,该模型假设:(1)联合语义是显性和隐性知识交换的关键前提;(2)显性知识交换具有双重作用(即既是隐性知识交换的前提,也是吸收能力的前提);(3)吸收能力是显性和隐性知识交换与组织创新之间的关键中介。利用来自230多家中国企业的调查数据,研究结果表明,共同理解和吸收能力在知识交流过程中发挥着关键作用。此外,我们的研究结果为显性和隐性知识交换之间的相互作用及其在杠杆化过程中的作用提供了证据。本研究增加了我们对组织如何利用外部知识来提高组织创新性的理解。此外,它还为有兴趣利用外部知识的管理人员提供了具体的指导。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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