知识团队的共享领导内涵——基于领导者权力来源视角

由于管理过程视角和社会网络视角对共享领导的研究在内涵和测量上还存在较大争议,本文通过比较分析不同领导风格的领导者权力来源,从团队正式领导者和非正式领导者两个层面探究知识团队共享领导的内涵。     

社会资本、吸收能力对创新绩效影响的实证研究

以企业知识理论为基础,从吸收能力这一视角出发,剖析企业外部社会资本和内部社会资本与企业创新绩效之间的关系;依据经典文献,对外部社会互动、基于认知的信任、共同语言、内部社会互动、基于情感的信任和共同愿景与知识识别、知识获取、知识共享和知识应用的关系进行重新梳理,并对知识应用与企业创新绩效的关系进行阐述;构建概念模型,并采用469个样本进行实证。研究结果表明,基于认知的信任、共同语言促进知识识别,外部社会互动、共同语言促进知识获取,内部社会互动抑制知识共享,基于情感的信任、共同愿景促进知识共享,基于情感的信任促进知识应用,知识识别促进知识获取,知识获取促进知识共享和知识应用,知识共享促进知识应用,知识应用促进企业创新绩效。从整体上看,吸收能力在企业社会资本对企业创新绩效的影响中起中介作用。     

创业网络、创业学习与新创企业成长

创业学习是新创企业成长的重要手段。尽管创业网络蕴含了大量可供新创企业学习的知识资源,然而少有研究对创业网络、创业学习与新创企业成长绩效之间的作用机制进行探索。本文整合社会资本理论与组织学习理论,构建了创业网络、创业学习与新创企业成长绩效关系的理论模型,并通过层次回归模型和结构方程模型对理论假设进行了实证检验。结果表明,探索式学习与利用式学习对成长绩效有正向影响;正式网络与非正式网络对成长绩效有正向影响;创业学习对创业网络与成长绩效之间的关系起中介作用。研究结论对社会资本理论与组织双元理论有重要贡献,对挖掘创业网络的学习价值并实现新创企业双元发展有重要启示。     

创业网络、资源拼凑与新创企业绩效的关系研究

  创业网络为新创企业获取资源、突破资源约束困境提供了可能,能否将创业网络中潜在的资源真正转化为新创企业成长绩效,取决于其对资源进行拼凑的程度。已有研究在相关领域有所探讨,但是尚需对创业网络进行细分,探讨资源拼凑的中介作用,并讨论资源拼凑影响新创企业绩效的情景条件。         基于资源基础理论和社会网络理论,将创业网络分为均包括网络规模、网络多样性、关系强度的正式网络和非正式网络,理论推演出两类创业网络影响新创企业绩效的机制以及资源拼凑的中介作用,从创业学习的角度探讨利用式学习和探索式学习在资源拼凑与新创企业绩效关系中的调节作用。采用问卷调查方法收集204份来自新创企业的有效问卷,运用Spss 23.0和Mplus 7.4检验数据质量、变量间关系和研究假设。         研究结果表明,创业网络是影响新创企业绩效的重要因素,正式网络多样性和关系强度对新创企业绩效有显著的正向影响,正式网络规模的正向影响未通过显著性检验;非正式网络规模、网络多样性和关系强度对新创企业绩效有显著的正向影响;资源拼凑在正式网络的网络多样性和关系强度以及非正式网络的网络规模、网络多样性、关系强度对新创企业绩效的影响中起中介作用;探索式学习在资源拼凑对新创企业绩效的影响中起正向调节作用,利用式学习的调节作用不显著。         从资源的来源角度深度剖析正式网络和非正式网络对新创企业绩效的影响,揭示资源拼凑在其中的中介机制,通过创业学习界定资源拼凑影响新创企业绩效的情景。研究结果启示新创企业在构建正式网络时应重质不重量,积极构建多样性的正式网络并扩大非正式网络规模,加强与非正式网络成员的联系。同时,应善于资源整合和拼凑,实现对资源的创造性利用,并注重创业学习的作用,尤其是加强探索式学习。     

阻碍汽车制造企业内部知识共享的因素及对策分析

本文从汽车制造企业内部知识共享的意义出发,通过对知识共享的阻碍因素进行分析,有针对性地从激励机制、组织结构、个体因素等方面探讨了促进汽车制造企业内部知识共享的对策。     

中小企业社会关系网络的演变

传统的企业理论认为,企业作为一种具有严格的规章制度、明确的等级结构的社会实体,应被视为一种正式的组织形式。但是,实证研究表明,企业无论是在其内部还是在其对外的联系中,都充斥着各种与正式的制度和组织结构完全不同的因素。也就是说,企业既是一种正式的组织,也是一种非正式的组织。     

半正式化组织中成员知识共享情境研究

以一个典型的半正式化组织为案例,利用社会网络方法,构建组织的知识共享网络,并对该网络成员间知识共享的结构化特征进行了测度.在此基础上,通过结构化和半结构化访谈,揭示了成员知识共享结构化特征背后的情境因素,进而以半正式化组织和情境学习理论为支撑,揭示了该组织内部知识共享网络“中心性”成员的“身份”与“权力”情境特征、“边缘化”成员的“参与”情境特征以及“知识共享群体”的形成情境特征.由此,从个体情境、组织情境和组织支持3个角度,建立了影响半正式化组织知识共享绩效的概念模型.     

学习型组织中的虚拟团队知识共享模型研究

传统的知识共享理论不能直接应用到虚拟团队知识共享研究之中,为克服虚拟团队知识共享存在的障碍,对交互记忆系统运作的核心--元记忆目录进行了扩展,加入元知识和社会网络2个维度,以帮助虚拟团队解决统一知识表述、规范专长认知、知识资源描述和展现内部实际沟通网络等问题.以扩展性元记忆目录为核心,建立了基于交互记忆理论的虚拟团队知识共享模型,并对知识共享模型各因素的相互关系进行了分析,提出了未来研究的结构方程模型.     

企业文化在默会知识管理中的作用

默会知识在企业知识管理中具有重要地位,是知识创新的源泉,构成了企业动态知识创新的起点和基础。知识创新即是默会知识积累、表达、共享与整合的过程,在这一过程中,"场"发挥着重要作用,是默会知识运动、转化、整合的载体。"场"的质量与企业文化密切相关,最终是由企业文化所包含的正式制度安排与非正式制度安排所决定的。本文最后提出了改造企业文化,优化知识整合"场"的对策建立。     

企业内员工知识共享的实证研究

将知识特性以及员工知识共享的意愿作为分析影响员工知识共享的2个因素,以此建立一个概念框架;运用结构方程模型方法,结合对115家中国企业所作的调查研究数据,从实证的角度研究这些因素对企业内部员工知识共享的影响.研究结果表明,知识的隐含性和分散性与企业员工知识共享之间存在显著负相关关系,员工对未来合作的预期、知识的价值与企业员工知识共享之间存在显著正相关的关系.最后,讨论了研究结果的管理含义及进一步研究方向.     

Rich Ties and Innovative Knowledge Transfer within a Firm

We show that contacts in formal, informal and especially multiplex networks explain transfer of innovative knowledge in an organization. The contribution of informal contacts has been much acknowledged, while that of formal contacts did not receive much attention in the literature in recent decades. No study thus far has included both these different kinds of contacts in a firm, let alone considered their combined effect. The exact overlap between formal as well as informal contacts between individuals, forming multiplex or what we call rich ties because of their contribution, especially drives the transfer of new, innovative knowledge in a firm. Studying two cases in very different settings suggests these rich ties have a particularly strong effect on knowledge transfer in an organization, even when controlling for the strength of ties. Some of the effects on knowledge transfer in an organization previously ascribed to either the formal network or the informal network may actually be due to their combined effect in a rich tie.     

Strategy implementation and organizational change: How formal reorganization affects professional networks

Strategy implementation is difficult, particularly as it often requires changes in formal organization structures. Prior research has shown that change in the formal structure may affect employee networks. Yet, we know relatively little about how such changes affect different network ties. This paper considers how formal structural change affects senior managers’ ability to maintain their intraorganizational networks. The hypotheses are tested on sample of 884 work-related relationships of 96 partners in a global professional services firm. This firm had recently implemented a new strategy, which led to a change in the product-market focus and the resulting formal structure. Our findings reveal that the characteristics of a specific network tie determine whether it is affected by formal structural change. In particular, we find that network ties that are highly embedded in the social structure are more likely to be affected by change in the formal structure. In contrast, ties that are relationally embedded are less likely to be affected by change in the formal structure. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results. In particular, the findings may have consequences for the success of strategy implementation and strategic transformation efforts.     

More Formally: Rediscovering the Missing Link between Formal Organization and Informal Social Structure

Abstract

Although foundational organization theory recognized the role of both formal and informal elements, for the past two decades scholarship appears to have primarily attended to the role of informal social structures (i.e. social networks) in explaining organizational functioning. This trend, however, has left a disconnect between the literatures on formal organization and informal social structure such that crucial questions and problems at the intersection of the two streams of research have been neglected. In this essay, we make the case for rediscovering the inherent interplay between formal organization and informal social structure given their common basis of interactions in organizations. We argue that by bridging the gap between formal organization and informal social structure scholarship we can advance our understanding of both the origins and evolution of social networks and the design and effective functioning of organizations. As a first step towards achieving greater integration of research on formal organization and informal social structure we: consolidate existing scholarly understanding in this area, profile the few studies that have begun to bridge the disconnect between formal and informal elements, identify conceptual logics for linking formal and informal elements, and propose an agenda for future research.     

Knowledge ties among subsidiaries in MNCs: A multi-level conceptual model

While ties among subsidiaries—the key players of a MNC network—are a prerequisite for the formation of the network and the flow of knowledge within the organization, we know little about factors influencing the formation of such ties. By building on the literature on inter-firm networks and knowledge-based view of the firm, we develop a multi-level model consisting of subsidiary characteristics, dyadic dynamics, and salient contextual factors to explain the inter-subsidiary collaboration for knowledge development and exchange. We bring to the fore the importance of examining multiple dimensions in understanding what predicts tie formation and the efficacy of these ties in creating a knowledge advantage. This paper advances the notion of subsidiary knowledge networking capability—the ability to form, manage, and leverage a network for gaining and sharing knowledge—and suggests that such capability is critical for subsidiaries and by extension the MNC, to achieve a competitive advantage.     

It’s all about culture! Institutional context and ownership concentration across Europe

It is widely recognised that the formal institutional context affects firm ownership concentration. However, the impact of the informal institutional context has received less research attention. Drawing from institutional theory, we tested our hypothesis that both the formal and informal (cultural) institutional contexts simultaneously influence firm ownership concentration. Based on a firm-level database of the largest 600 listed companies in 19 European countries for the period 2009–2015, we found that both formal and informal institutional contexts, considered independently from each other, affect the level of firm ownership concentration. However, when these institutional contexts are considered together, the significance of the formal institutional context's effect on ownership concentration disappears while the informal (cultural) institutional context remains significant. Specifically, our findings indicate that high power distance, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, restraint, and short-term orientation favour firm ownership concentration. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the diversity in European cultures explains firms' different levels of ownership concentration across European firms, signalling that the European Union's efforts towards a common regulatory frame may not necessarily lead to a convergence of European firms' ownership structures and, consequently, of corporate governance practices.     

Forms of Network Resource: Knowledge Access and the Role of Inter‐Firm Networks

The leveraging of inter‐firm networks is increasingly considered to be a strategic resource that can potentially be shaped by managerial action. In recent years, scholars have turned to the concept of social capital to understand how the transfer of knowledge occurs within and across firms. However, this has resulted in an overstretching of the social capital concept. The aim of this paper is to refine and add specificity to the current broad application of the social capital concept. It is argued that although the social capital concept explains investments in networks based on a network logic relating to sociability and socialization, it does not explain investments in networks based on a logic relating to economic expectations. These expectations result in network participation that is more calculative than networks containing social capital. The paper introduces the notion of ‘network capital’ to explain the resources contained within inter‐firm networks that do not necessarily equate with the type of trust and obligations associated with social capital. Network capital is defined as an investment in calculative relations through which firms gain access to knowledge to enhance expected economic returns. It is argued that while network capital can be strategically managed, particularly to influence knowledge flow, the nature of social capital is such that it is very difficult to manage. It is concluded that the network capital–social capital framework opens a number of avenues in terms of future research, especially in relation to the extended resource‐based view of the firm and theories of open innovation.     

Knowledge transfer in MNCs: Examining how intrinsic motivations and knowledge sourcing impact individual centrality and performance

Studies investigating individual performance in knowledge-intensive work are finding that individual performance is a result, to some degree, of obtaining the right information to solve novel, challenging problems. Yet we know little about the role that the individual plays in the knowledge processes in multinationals and the relationship between individual knowledge sourcing activities and performance. Our expectation is that successful knowledge transfer will be based on an individual's intrinsic motivation, access to knowledge from explicit or tacit knowledge sources within and across firm boundaries, and position in the overall advice network of the multinational corporation. Using survey and social network data collected in one multinational consulting firm, we investigated the knowledge sourcing activities and informal advice networks for 1439 of the entire 1698 individuals in one multinational spread across 28 offices (84.7% response rate). Through hierarchical regression analysis we find that 1) intrinsic motivations are strongly related to creativity and efficiency and 2) MNCs should support individual level activities that include not only the use of internal knowledge sources but also the use of external knowledge sources. Research results also suggest that 3) there are different patterns of knowledge sourcing activities based on whether efficient or creative performance is the goal and 4) these differ significantly depending upon the functional group to which the individual belongs. Implications for theories of the knowledge-based view of the multinational corporation and practical implications for managers are discussed.     

Multinationals and Skills Policy Networks: HRM as a Player in Economic and Social Concerns

This paper uses an embeddedness framework to reconceptualize HRM agency over the external labour market, and in so doing bring into focus the societal implications of HRM. Drawing on qualitative data from 53 key informants in two English regions, we identify the ways in which the subsidiaries of foreign multinationals (MNCs) engage with labour market skills actors. Our findings reveal how power structures are mobilized by local economic actors to align labour market skills with MNCs’ demand priorities. We show that multinationals may seek to partially endogenize (i.e. take ownership of) the resources of local labour markets when their competitive value is redefined in social as well as economic terms, and demonstrate that the social structure of sub‐national institutional governance arrangements and firm strategic action on skills creates the conduit through which resource endogenization may occur. Theoretically, this paper identifies the social structure of networks as a casual mechanism to bridge divergent skill interests, which is mobilized when network actors have the capacity to frame fields within the social structure of the network around ideas on economic sustainability and moral interest.     

节点集重要性测度——综合法及其在知识共享网络中的应用

在具有社会关系结构的经济系统及通讯网络系统等许多现实的系统中,人们经常关注节点集在系统中的重要性问题.在分析如何有效反映网络中节点集重要性的基础上,针对节点赋权网络,利用节点集删除的研究方法,建立节点集重要性的综合测度数学模型;然后,借助于图的距离矩阵的计算方法设计该模型的算法;最后,给出该方法在知识共享网中的应用.     

When managers become leaders: The role of manager network centralities,social power,and followers' perception of leadership

We explore how formal managers' centralities in both positive and negative networks predict followers' perceptions of their leadership. By incorporating social networks and social ledger theory with implicit leadership theories (ILTs), we hypothesize that formally assigned group leaders (managers) who have more positive advice ties and fewer negative avoidance ties are more likely to be recognized as leaders by their followers. Further, we posit that managers' informal networks bring them greater social power, an important attribute differentiating leaders from non-leaders. We conducted two survey-based studies in student and field teams to test the hypotheses. Based on nested data in both studies, we found support for our hypotheses. These results remain robust across the two studies even though they used different designs (cross-sectional versus longitudinal), different samples (field versus students) across different countries (United States versus India), and a host of control variables at both the leader and follower levels. We find that managers who are central in the advice network are socially powerful and are seen as leaders by individual followers. In contrast, managers who are avoided by followers lack informal social power are not seen as leaders. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and the ways in which our theory and results extend ILTs and social network theory.