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Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowledge Elements: How the Knowledge Base Structure Impacts Knowledge‑related Outcomes of a Firm*
01 Apr 2013-Research Papers in Economics (Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University)-
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effects of the knowledge base structure, how knowledge elements are linked or separated from each other in clusters, on a firm's knowledge-related outcomes.
Abstract: Knowledge is the preeminent resource of a firm. Although many scholars have focused on the firm's knowledge base, few studies have examined the effects of the knowledge base structure—how knowledge elements are linked or separated from each other in clusters—on firm's knowledge-related outcomes. This study examines the knowledge base structure, and tests hypotheses about the effects of heterogeneous combinations of knowledge elements on the outcomes. Through an analysis of the patents related to LCD technology, (1) the usefulness of an organization's inventions correlates positively with the density of the knowledge links between technologically different knowledge components, (2) the average usefulness of a firm's inventions correlates positively with the density of the knowledge links between technologically disparate knowledge components, (3) the number of inventions correlates negatively with the density of the knowledge links between excessively disparate knowledge components.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors reconceptualize the firm-level construct absorptive capacity as a learning dyad-level measure, relative absorptive capacities, and test the model using a sample of pharmaceutical-biotechnology R&D alliances.
Abstract: Much of the prior research on interorganizational learning has focused on the role of absorptive capacity, a firm's ability to value, assimilate, and utilize new external knowledge. However, this definition of the construct suggests that a firm has an equal capacity to learn from all other organizations. We reconceptualize the firm-level construct absorptive capacity as a learning dyad-level construct, relative absorptive capacity. One firm's ability to learn from another firm is argued to depend on the similarity of both firms' (1) knowledge bases, (2) organizational structures and compensation policies, and (3) dominant logics. We then test the model using a sample of pharmaceutical–biotechnology R&D alliances. As predicted, the similarity of the partners' basic knowledge, lower management formalization, research centralization, compensation practices, and research communities were positively related to interorganizational learning. The relative absorptive capacity measures are also shown to have greater explanatory power than the established measure of absorptive capacity, R&D spending. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
335 citations
TL;DR: This paper aims to help organizations define the demand structure and distribution characteristics of human resources’ functional knowledge, business process knowledge, environmental knowledge, logical thinking knowledge, based on the situated functional levels of human Resources.
Abstract: The importance of studying organizational human resources knowledge structure is self-evident for organizational human resources selection and training It is also significant for organizations to conduct knowledge management and gain competitive advantages In this way, how do we understand the relationship among the knowledge structure owned by the organizational human resources, the functional levels and the business process situated, and the logical thinking applied? This is what this paper will further explore This paper aims to help organizations define the demand structure and distribution characteristics of human resources’ functional knowledge, business process knowledge, environmental knowledge, logical thinking knowledge, based on the situated functional levels of human resources Furthermore, it endeavors to provide a framework for determining the knowledge system and structure which are closely related to human resources selection and training From the perspective of System Theory, each organization is an independent system The work of any individual within the organization is one part of a system engineer Naturally, system engineering methodology becomes its methodology Based on the four-dimensional structure of system engineering methodology, this paper analyses human resources knowledge structure from the perspectives of function levels, environment, process and logic, and further constructs the organizational human resources knowledge four-dimensional structure model (HRKFDM) The knowledge of organizational human resources is closely related to business process, environmental conditions, function levels and thinking logic The organizational HRKFDM shows that organizational human resources knowledge is made up with functional knowledge dimension, environmental knowledge dimension, process knowledge dimension, and logical knowledge dimension In the problem-solving process with logical thinking and decision-making, human resources need to comprehensively use the functional knowledge, environmental knowledge, process knowledge and logical knowledge In each knowledge dimension, the functional knowledge, environmental knowledge, process knowledge and logical knowledge requirements for grass-roots workers, middle-level workers, and senior workers follow trapezoidal distribution, yamagata distribution and trapezoidal distribution respectively The organizational HRKFDM can be used as an important reference framework for promoting organizational learning, as well as an instruction for organizational learning, knowledge management, building a learning organization, and developing the core competence of an organization
7 citations
Cites background from "Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowl..."
...The literature focusing on knowledge structure mostly discussed the influence of knowledge structure on organizations, such as the different impacts of element knowledge and structure knowledge on enterprise competitive advantage [14, 15]....
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TL;DR: Analysis of patent data from the worldwide semiconductor industry from 1984 to 1994 shows that a nearly decomposable knowledge base increases the usefulness of the inventions generated from it, as measured by patent citations, and also the knowledge base's malleability or capacity for change.
Abstract: We use patent data from the worldwide semiconductor industry from 1984 to 1994 to study the effect of the structure of organizational knowledge bases, or the patterns of coupling between their elem...
398 citations
"Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowl..." refers background or methods or result in this paper
...On the basis of the network theory, Yayavaram and Ahuja (2008) analyzed the effects of the knowledge base structure on the organization’s knowledge-related outcome....
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...Thus, it is possible to observe from their patent portfolio whether the company’s knowledge base contains two knowledge components that have been combined (Yayavaram and Ahuja 2008)....
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...More specifically, there exists an appropriate level of density of the total connections between the components of a knowledge base, and too high or too low a total density of the connections can negatively affect knowledge-related outcomes (Yayavaram and Ahuja 2008)....
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...…date, various researchers have investigated how the characteristics of accumulated knowledge within organizations modulate the performance of knowledge creation activities of organizations, considering the effects of related dimensions and outcomes (Yayavaram and Ahuja 2008; Ahuja and Katila 2001)....
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...The point Yayavaram and Ahuja (2008) make is that even for organizations with knowledge bases composed of identical knowledge components, if the combination of the components is different, the results differ for knowledge bases....
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TL;DR: The empirical analysis showed that many firms designed strategies to share technological knowledge with competitors, and those firms that shared knowledge with their innovation system earned higher innovative performance than firms that did not share knowledge.
Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between firms' strategies to share knowledge with their innovation system and innovative performance. The empirical analysis showed that many firms designed strategies to share technological knowledge with competitors, and those firms that shared knowledge with their innovation system earned higher innovative performance than firms that did not share knowledge. In addition, firms that interacted with their global innovation system earned higher innovative performance than firms that interacted with only their national innovation system. These results should help managers and researchers understand how to devise technology strategies in globally integrated industries. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
397 citations
"Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowl..." refers background in this paper
...In the rapidly evolving field of LCD technology, the acquisition of patents is extremely important for competitiveness (Spencer 2003); therefore, companies that have not acquired patents are not considered central players in the industry and are excluded from the analysis....
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Posted Content•
01 Jan 1996
TL;DR: A new edition of Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence as mentioned in this paper adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools for analyzing complexity and complex systems, taking into account important advances in cognitive psychology and the science of design while confirming and extending Simon's basic thesis that a physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action.
Abstract: Continuing his exploration of the organization of complexity and the science of design, this new edition of Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools—chaos, adaptive systems, genetic algorithms—for analyzing complexity and complex systems. There are updates throughout the book as well. These take into account important advances in cognitive psychology and the science of design while confirming and extending the book's basic thesis: that a physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action. The chapter "Economic Reality" has also been revised to reflect a change in emphasis in Simon's thinking about the respective roles of organizations and markets in economic systems.
282 citations
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200 citations
"Heterogeneous Combinations of Knowl..." refers background in this paper
...According to this perspective, the inventor is searching for a new combination of technology components (Weitzman 1996; Basalla 1988) and reconfiguring existing combinations (Henderson and Clark 1990)....
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