管理大师彼得杜拉克(Peter Drucker)在其《后资本主义社会》一书中曾阐明,知识是一种生产要素,而且是全球化经济环境中最重要的关键资源,从现今各方面的证据显示都足以佐证说明,知识在企业内和社会组织中已逐渐取代其他各种生产要素,而成为组织能不断成长的主要关键因素。但知识对于任何企业组织的竞争而言都不可能是无限的,充其量只够用来达成阶段性某些特定的目标,一个组织如何能不断的创新知识,除了全体成员必须愿意不断累积及分享个人的智慧和经验外,还要有能引导企业高管成员有效整合及善用现今信息科技的导入战略及应用系统(Sorenson,2013)。这些预示着知识经济时代的已经到来。知识的创新性挑战不可避免。 所谓知识经济时代,是指工业化发展的后期,知识成为最重要的生产资源,并形成一个以创新为导向的创业型经济体系。创业型经济体系的特质是能够对知识加以创新的应用,这个“知识”的包括范围远超过所谓的高科技,而知识发展与有效应用,就是今天发达国家社会持续成长的主要驱动力(Goerzen and Beamish 2005)。劳动力、土地、资本、企业家与创业精神是驱动企业成长的几个主要因素,其中劳动力、土地、资本属于传统的生产要素,企业家的主要功能则在于推动企业创新,而创新与创业精神正是形成创业型经济体系的动力。在这一过程中,知识网络的复杂结构和知识创新,对于企业的创新体系构建以及整个社会经济体系的发展具有重要的作用(Shaner and Maznevski,2011;Sampson,2017)。在新企业创建与发展过程中,为了发挥知识创新的作用,创业企业将大力整合人力资本并不断完善其知识转换能力,以期强化组织的知识创新绩效。 本研究将从知识视角出发,剖析创业企业知识网络结构与知识创新的关系,并探究多元的人力资本和企业内部的知识转换能力对上述关系的权变性影响。 本文主要研究创业企业的知识网络结构与知识创新的关系,并深入分析影响二者关系的权变因素。这些都是知识管理领域、社会网络领域以及创业领域的核心议题之一,本文主要研究如下内容: 第一,分析创业企业知识网络结构洞与知识创新的关系。知识网络结构洞是结构洞理论中的核心研究内容,如何利用结构洞生成新的知识以驱动知识创新不仅影响组织的绩效,更影响创业组织的成长,二者之间的特殊关系将会对创业企业具有特殊意义。 第二,深入剖析知识网络密度与知识创新的关系。通过实证研究来探讨创业企业知识网络密度与知识创新的关系,能够为创业企业构建网络关系以及构建何类关系提供一定参考。 第三,深入分析知识网络集中度与知识创新的关系。网络集中度决定了网络参与者行动轨迹和路径,以及处理网络关系的手段(Schneider等,2002)。本文对这一关系进行实证研究,深入分析网络集中度对知识创新的影响能够为创业企业如何识别网络以及参与网络的深度提供有价值的借鉴。这一关系也是本研究的难点。 第四,人力资本异质性的边界作用。如前所述,人力资本是知识经济环境下创业成功的关键因素和战略性资源,可以拉开与竞争者的竞争距离,迅速适应环境变动(Aaker.1989:Barney.1991)使企业逐步构建持久竞争优势。人力资本特性对于知识网络中知识的流动、知识的转换、知识的创造等具有至关重要的作用。本研究将分析人力资本异质性对上述三个关系的调节效用。 第五,知识转换能力也是知识管理领域中的重要内容,其边界作用决定了知识网络结构的效益,尤其是上知识转换能力对上述三个关系的影响会深化创业企业的网络关系认知与选择。 从上可知,本文基于中国转型经济背景下,探讨知识网络结构对知识创新的影响机理,将知识网络结构的各维度,即知识网络结构洞、知识网络密度、知识网络集中度作为前因变量,分析他们对知识创新的影响,并探究人力资本异质性以及知识转换能力对上述关系的调节效果。 本文的创新之处主要有以下几点: 首先,以社会网络理论探讨知识管理与创新绩效议题,能够进一步丰富网络结构与知识创新的关系,深化知识创新理论。 网络结构是组织中信息与知识传导、创新的一张地图,而Cross et al.,(2001)以及Burt(2017)的研究指出,即使一些组织拥有技术上领先的平台以及获取、识别与储存的知识制度和经验,但人们仍倾向通过人际间非正式网络寻求知识、获取问题的答案。但近年来大多研究者多着重在以Nonaka所提出的知识创造理论框架下来探讨知识与创新议题之间的关系,尤其关注知识转移能力的构建,对于组织间非正式互动及所处的网络位置结构等关系的研究则较为缺乏。本研究即从企业互动的角度出发,并基于社会网络理论,通过实证分析来探讨创业企业知识管理与创新绩效之相关议题。这不仅丰富了创业相关理论,也进一步完善了社会网络理论,进一步加深了我们对知识网络结构的认知。 其次,以社会网络分析研究创业企业组织行为,有助于进一步深化社会网络分析法,更深入探究特殊网络结构的作用。 Krackhardt(1993)是将网络分析运用在组织行为研究上的开创者,Tichy(2011)强烈建议组织行为的研究,应该采用网络分析的观点,并运用网络分析方法,探讨个体属性、组织成员间关系网络结构,而Balkundi et al.(2007)也认为,通过对经典的组织行为的研究能了解网络的重要性,例如网络结构洞、网络密度、网络集中度与绩效的关系,等等。Butt(1992)更企图提出一个融合经济学与社会学的理论分析模式,以网络理论为基础进一步替企业进行诊断。由于社会网络问卷所调查的资料是企业成员间互动关系之关系性数据,并且由企业成员互评且记名方式进行,因此在数据收集过程上较传统匿名问卷更为困难,而过去以社会网络理论进行实证的对象大多属于概念性或传统自评的非关系性数据。本研究获得了创业企业的协助与配合,克服了社会网络分析中最困难的问卷数据收集,从社会网络分析角度,针对研究对象(创业企业知识网络)进行完整的网络分析,了解组织之间知识交流、分享与创造的情形,以协助组织妥善运用人力资源,管理组织知识。 再次,以完整的样本实证网络结构洞与知识创新之间的曲线关系,突破了二者之间正相关的局限,进一步丰富了网络结构洞的相关研究。 目前对于社会网络理论中结构洞的研究结果显示,各学者对结构洞和绩效的关系持有不同的观点,认为结构洞与创新绩效具有正向关系(Ahuja,2000、Burt,2004)、负向关系、甚至存在曲线关系(Balkundi et al,2007)。据此,本研究利用网络理论架构及研究对象样本的完整性来探讨此议题,而经实证结果指出,对于创业企业而言,知识网络结构洞与知识创新之间确实存在倒U型的曲线关系。这一结论突破了现有研究的局限性,得出了与主流研究结论不一致的结果,进一步丰富了网络结构洞理论。 最后,进一步解析了人力资本异质性的边界作用,深化了人力资本异质性的价值 人力资源管理首先缘起于英国的labor Management。二次世界大战后开始出现各式名称,最后发展至以人力为组织资源概念的人力资源管理(吴宏孝,2007)。从人力资源发展的角度来看,劳动经济学理论视人力资本为个人在教育训练上的投资,其结果是个人收入与生产力提升(Lazear.1998:Kaufman,1994)。人力资本是企业成长、创新与战略革新的基础,任何作业流程的改善或新奇想法的建议,都来自于人员智慧的结晶。简单来说,人力资本是企业内管理者与员工所拥有的技术、知识与能力(Bassi and Van Buren,1999;Iymn,1999;Dzunkowski,2000),是组织技术累积与个人知识的结合。现有研究聚焦于人力资本的直接影响(对绩效、对团队效能),较少分析人力资办特质(如同质性、异质性)对组织知识创新的作用(Prieto等,2012)。而关于人力资本对知识网络结构与知识创新的关键性影响的研究更是鲜有。本研究突破这一局限,探究人力资本特性的边界作用,这进一步丰富了人力资源相关研究,也为创业企业构建人力资本基础,配置人力资本提供了一定的借鉴。 关键词:知识网络结构,知识创新,人力资本异质性,组织转换能力
Peter Drucker, master of management, has stated in his book Post-Capitalist Society that knowledge is a factor of production and the most important key resource in the global economic environment. Evidence from all aspects shows that knowledge has gradually replaced other factors of production in enterprises and social organizations, and become an organization. The main key factor of growing up. However, knowledge can not be infinite for the competition of any enterprise organization. At best, it can only be used to achieve certain specific objectives at different stages. How can an organization continuously innovate knowledge? In addition to the willingness of all members to accumulate and share personal wisdom and experience, there must also be an introduction war that can guide the senior management members of an enterprise to integrate effectively and make good use of modern information technology. Sketch and Application System (Sorenson, 2013). These herald the arrival of the era of knowledge economy. Innovative challenges of knowledge are inevitable. The so-called era of knowledge economy refers to the late stage of industrialization, in which knowledge becomes the most important productive resource and forms an innovation-oriented entrepreneurial economic system. The characteristic of the entrepreneurial economy system is that it can innovate the application of knowledge. This "knowledge" covers much more than the so-called high-tech. The development and effective application of knowledge are the main driving forces for the sustainable development of the society in developed countries today (Goerzen and Beamish 2005). Labor, land, capital, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship are the main factors driving the growth of enterprises. Labor, land and capital are the traditional factors of production. The main function of entrepreneurs is to promote enterprise innovation, and innovation and entrepreneurship are the driving force for the formation of entrepreneurial economic system. In this process, the complex structure of knowledge network and knowledge innovation play an important role in the construction of enterprise innovation system and the development of the whole social and economic system (Shaner and Maznevski, 2011; Sampson, 2017). In the process of new enterprise creation and development, in order to play the role of knowledge innovation, entrepreneurs will integrate human capital vigorously and constantly improve their knowledge conversion ability, in order to strengthen the performance of knowledge innovation in the organization. Based on this, this study will analyze the relationship between knowledge network structure and knowledge innovation in entrepreneurial enterprises from the perspective of knowledge, and explore the contingency effect of multiple human capital and knowledge transformation ability within enterprises on the above relationship. This paper mainly studies the relationship between knowledge network structure and knowledge innovation, and deeply analyses the contingency factors that influence the relationship between them. These are the core issues in the field of knowledge management, social network and entrepreneurship. Based on this, this paper mainly studies the following contents: Firstly, the relationship between knowledge network structure holes and knowledge innovation is analyzed. Knowledge network structure hole is the core research content of structure hole theory. How to use structure hole to generate new knowledge to drive knowledge innovation not only affects the performance of the organization, but also affects the growth of the entrepreneurial organization. The special relationship between the two will have special significance for the entrepreneurial enterprise. Secondly, the relationship between knowledge network density and knowledge innovation is deeply analyzed. Through empirical research, this paper explores the relationship between knowledge network density and knowledge innovation in venture enterprises, which can provide some reference for the construction of network relationship and what kind of relationship. Thirdly, the relationship between knowledge network concentration and knowledge innovation is deeply analyzed. The degree of network concentration determines the trajectory and path of network participants and the means of dealing with network relations (Schneider et al. , 2002). This paper makes an empirical study on this relationship, and deeply analyses the impact of network concentration on knowledge innovation, which can provide valuable reference for how to identify networks and participate in the depth of networks for start-ups. This relationship is also the difficulty of this study. Fourthly, the boundary effect of human capital heterogeneity. As mentioned above, human capital is the key factor and strategic resource for successful entrepreneurship in the knowledge-based economy environment. It can widen the competition distance with competitors and quickly adapt to environmental changes (Aaker. 1989: Barney. 1991) so that enterprises gradually build lasting competitive advantages. The characteristics of human capital play an important role in the flow of knowledge, the transformation of knowledge and the creation of knowledge in the knowledge network. This study will analyze the moderating effect of human capital heterogeneity on the above three relationships. Fifthly, knowledge conversion capability is also an important part of knowledge management. Its boundary effect determines the benefit of knowledge network structure, especially the influence of knowledge conversion capability on the above three relationships will deepen the recognition and choice of network relationship of start-ups. From the above, based on the background of China's transitional economy, this paper explores the mechanism of the influence of knowledge network structure on knowledge innovation. The dimensions of knowledge network structure, namely knowledge network structure hole, knowledge network density and knowledge network concentration, are taken as antecedent variables to analyze their influence on knowledge innovation, and to explore the relationship between the heterogeneity of human capital and knowledge transformation ability. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: Firstly, discussing knowledge management and innovation performance issues with social network theory can further enrich the relationship between network structure and knowledge innovation and deepen knowledge innovation theory. Network structure is a map of information and knowledge transmission and innovation in organizations. Burt (2017) have pointed out that even though some organizations have technologically advanced platforms and knowledge systems and experiences to acquire, identify and store knowledge, people still tend to seek knowledge and answer questions through informal interpersonal networks. However, in recent years, most researchers have focused on the relationship between knowledge and innovation issues within the framework of knowledge creation theory proposed by Nonaka, especially on the construction of knowledge transfer capability. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship between informal interaction among organizations and the structure of network location. Based on the social network theory and from the perspective of enterprise interaction, this study explores the issues related to knowledge management and innovation performance of start-up enterprises through empirical analysis. This not only enriches the entrepreneurship theory, but also further improves the social network theory, and further deepens our understanding of the knowledge network structure. Secondly, it is helpful to further deepen the social network analysis method and explore the role of special network structure by analyzing the organizational behavior of start-up enterprises with social network. Krackhardt (1993) is the pioneer of applying network analysis to the study of organizational behavior. Tichy (2011) strongly recommends that the study of organizational behavior should adopt the viewpoint of network analysis and use network analysis method to explore the network structure of individual attributes and relationships among organizational members. Balkundi et al. (2007) also believes that the importance of network can be understood by studying classical organizational behavior. Importance, such as network structure hole, network density, the relationship between network concentration and performance, and so on. Burt (1992) attempted to put forward a theoretical analysis model that integrates economics and sociology, and further diagnoses enterprises based on network theory. Because the data surveyed by the social network questionnaire are the relational data of the interaction among the members of the enterprise and are evaluated by the members of the enterprise and registered, it is more difficult to collect data than the traditional anonymous questionnaire. In the past, most of the objects that were tested by the social network theory belong to conceptual or traditional non-relational data of self-evaluation. This study has obtained the assistance and cooperation of entrepreneurs, overcome the most difficult questionnaire data collection in social network analysis. From the perspective of social network analysis, it carries out a complete network analysis for the research object (knowledge network of entrepreneurship enterprises), and understands the situation of knowledge exchange, sharing and creation among organizations, so as to help organizations properly use human resources and manage organizational knowledge. Thirdly, the curve relationship between network structure hole and knowledge innovation is demonstrated with complete samples, which breaks through the limitation of positive correlation between them and further enriches the related research of network structure hole. At present, the research results of structural holes in social network theory show that scholars hold different views on the relationship between structural holes and performance. They believe that structural holes and innovation performance have a positive relationship, a negative relationship, and even a curve relationship. Based on this, this study uses the network theory framework and the integrity of the sample to discuss this issue. The empirical results show that there is an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between knowledge network structure hole and knowledge innovation for entrepreneurs. This conclusion breaks through the limitations of the existing research and draws inconsistent results with the mainstream research conclusions, which further enriches the network structure hole theory. Finally, the boundary function of human capital heterogeneity is further analyzed, and the value of human capital heterogeneity is deepened. Human resource management originated from labor management in Britain. After World War II, various names began to appear, and finally developed to human resource management. From the perspective of human resources development, labor economics theory regards human capital as an individual investment in education and training, and the result is the improvement of personal income and productivity. Human capital is the basis of enterprise growth, innovation and strategic innovation. Any improvement of operation process or suggestion of new ideas comes from the crystallization of human wisdom. Simply put, human capital is the technology, knowledge and ability of managers and employees, and it is the combination of organizational technology accumulation and personal knowledge. Existing studies focus on the direct impact of human capital (on performance and team effectiveness), and seldom analyze the role of human resource characteristics (such as homogeneity and heterogeneity) in organizational knowledge innovation. However, there are few studies on the key impact of human capital on knowledge network structure and knowledge innovation. This study breaks through this limitation and explores the boundary role of human capital characteristics, which further enriches the relevant research of human resources, and also provides some reference for the construction of human capital foundation and the allocation of human capital for start-up enterprises. Keywords: Knowledge Network Structure, Knowledge Innovation, Human Capital Heterogeneity, Knowledge Conversion capability