The Dynamics of Technology Diffusion and Technology Capability-A Network Perspective

• Main Authors: Lai Chih-Ting, 賴致廷
• Other Authors: Lin Hsin-Mei
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/11931475068116981527

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 國際企業學系 === 94 === Owning to the rapid change of Taiwan traditional industry, the competitive advantage of small multinational enterprises characterized as specialization and flexibility gradually decreases. In order to compete with other countries in the future, firms are necessary to acquire innovative technology from external environment to enhance their technology capability. However, owing to the small size and inadequate resources of small multinational enterprises, the technology ability of them is inferior to that of large multinational enterprises. Thus, in order to overcome the predicament of short of resources, small multinational enterprises have to stride over the boundaries of organizations to enhance the technology ability. More specifically, small multinational enterprises have to organize a strategic alliance to collaborate mutually for achieving the goal. Nevertheless, the key factor of the success of strategic alliance is that whether the technology acquired by this alliance could be diffused effectively within alliance members. It is depended on the configuration of network. The difference of network configuration not only has different impact on the exchange of resources and product innovation between firms, it also affects the learning and technology ability of interfirms. In the past studies, scholars only explore the effect of network configuration upon technology diffusion (Czepiel, 1974; Harkola & Greve, 1995; Harkola & Greve, 1996; Galaskiewicz & Burt, 1991). However, in practical perspective, the technology capability of network members is usually enhanced after the diffusion of technology. Therefore, according to the perspective of resource-based theory and social network, this research would explore the influence of network configuration upon technology diffusion and the effect of network configuration and firm heterogeneity upon technology capability. Managed by the Mechanical Industry Research Laboratories (MIRL), a technical developed project, named “Advanced Linear Machinery R&D Alliance Project”, was adopted as our sample. It mainly included MIRL and nine machine tool firms. This research would be separated into two stages to investigate the alliance members. The first stage investigates the influence of the network configuration formed by strategic alliance upon technology diffusion during alliance period. The second stage refers as the interaction between firms after this strategic alliance. It examines the influence of the network configuration and firm heterogeneity on the similarity of technology capability between firms. In this research, we found that cohesion model and structural equivalence model would have different effects upon technology diffusion and technology capability. Network members would be beneficial to get information to enhance the extent of technology diffusion through occupying the central or important position in network. However, the degree of structural equivalence in network members would be harmful to the extent of technology diffusion. Besides, this research also finds that the cohesion model has partial and positive effect upon the similarity of technology capability between firms but the structural equivalence model is negatively correspondent to the similarity of technology capability between firms. As for the similarity of firm heterogeneity, the similarity of strategic importance of this technology would be harmful to narrow down the similarity of human resource capability between firms. That is to say, the strategic importance of this technology might not help firms to cooperate with others. Because of competition, firms would control the important information or operational method of this technology in order to increase the distance of technology capability between other firms. They could gain greater competitive advantages through this way. Besides, this research also finds that MIRL represents a role of coordinator. It would help competitive firms to acquire resources from external environment to overcome the predicament of small size and inadequate resources.