High Technology Firms In China Research Articles

Collaborative HRM, climate for cooperation, and employee intra-organizational social ties in high-technology firms in China: A cross-level analysis.

Individual social ties have been an important source of competitive advantages for hightech firms in the knowledge economy. However, the existing cross-level studies have mainly investigated the impact of HRM systems on traditional individual attitudinal or behavioral outcomes, and few studies have examined the effect of SHRM on individual social ties. Based on the data collected from 363 knowledge employees working in 64 high-tech firms in China, we examine the cross-level relationships among collaborative HRM practices, climate for cooperation and employee intra-organizational social ties. The hierarchical linear model results show that organizational-level collaborative HRM practices have significant positive effects on the number and strength of individual-level intra-organizational social ties, and the climate for cooperation mediates the positive cross-level relationship between collaborative HRM and individual intra-organizational social ties. This study makes three contributions to the literature. First, with a cross-level model, this study helps us better understand how collaborative HRM acts as an approach to manage individuals' social capital formation. Second, this study makes contribution to the social network literature by showing how organizational contextual factors (HRM practices and organizational climate) affect employee individual social ties. Third, based on the AMO model, this paper developed a more clear construct and a three-dimension measurement of the collaborative HRM.

The emergence of team entrepreneurial passion from team helping: An affective events theory perspective

Research has acknowledged the outcomes of entrepreneurial passion, but little is known in regard to how it occurs. In this article, we shift the focus to the team level and investigate the emergence of team entrepreneurial passion (TEP) from the team helping perspective. Drawing on affective events theory (AET), we examine how team help-seeking and -giving facilitate TEP. Team-level analyses were performed on data drawn from 487 members of 112 new venture teams in an accelerator for high-technology firms in China. Our findings show that team help-seeking and -giving are in a direct relationship with TEP; we highlight how the interaction between these two aspects is positively associated with TEP. This article extends the study of TEP to team helping and treats the latter in relation to its two separate but related aspects of seeking and giving. Further, our focus moves from singular effects to an interactive perspective on the antecedents of TEP.

The Influence of Corporate Networks on the Competitive Advantage of High Technology Enterprises in China: The Mediating Effects of Dynamic Capacities and Ambidextrous Combination

As an essential channel to obtain external resources and information, corporate networks have played a key role in enhancing the competitive advantage of firms, especially during the period where most of the high-technology firms in China started to directly seek means other than import technology to boost their competitive advantages. However, there was still ambiguity concerning how exactly corporate networks would affect comparative advantage. This study sought to expose the internal mechanisms among two aspects of corporate networks, namely, the network strength and the network centrality, and competitive advantage. We also examined the mediating effects of the dynamic capabilities and the ambidextrous combination. Managers of 384 high technology enterprises in China were interviewed via telephone calls during the period of January to June 2020. The data were analyzed by utilizing the structural equation method, and the results show that both dynamic capacities and the ambidextrous combination significantly mediate the relationship between corporate networks and firms’ comparative advantage, where the two mediators also had a significant relationship with each other. Moreover, the multigroup analysis also unveiled that the corporate networks had a greater impact on competitive advantage and the ambidextrous combination in the manufacturing sector, while small-sized enterprises and service enterprises would benefit more than others from the improvement in the dynamic capabilities and ambidextrous combination. Our findings fill the gap in the literature and provide useful information to firms in China on how to allocate internal and external resources to enhance their competitive advantages.

Third-party relational governance and collaborative innovation performance: The role of IPR protection

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of third-party relational governance on the performance of collaborative innovation in China. By integrating the relational view and innovation appropriation perspectives, this study analyses the effects of three mechanisms of third-party relational governance—co-reputation, interorganizational routines, and technological norms—on collaborative innovation performance. Additionally, this study investigates the moderating effects of the protection of intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on the relationship between third-party relational governance and collaborative innovation performance. Survey data of high-technology firms in China are used to empirically test the hypotheses. The results show that third-party relational governance has a positive effect on collaborative innovation performance and that IPR protection has different moderating effects. This study contributes to the relational governance literature by adding the perspective of third parties and analyzing three mechanisms of third-party relational governance in a single model. This study also contributes to the innovation appropriation literature by examining the role of IPR protection in governing collaborative innovation in China. Finally, this study offers suggestions on how Chinese firms should govern their collaborative innovation to remedy the limitations of a weak IPR legal institutional framework.

Third-Party Relational Governance and Collaborative Innovation Performance: The Role of IPR Protection

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of third-party relational governance on the performance of collaborative innovation in China. By integrating the relational view and innovation appropriation perspectives, this paper analyses the effects of three mechanisms of third-party relational governance, namely, – co-reputation, interorganizational routines and technological norms – on collaborative innovation performance. Additionally, this paper investigates the moderating effects of intellectual property right (IPR) protection on the relationship between third-party relational governance and collaborative innovation performance. Survey data of high-technology firms in China are used to empirically test the hypotheses. The results show that third-party relational governance has a positive effect on collaborative innovation performance and that IPR protection has different moderating effects. This study contributes to the relational governance literature by adding the perspective of third parties and analyzing three mechanisms of third-party relational governance in one model. This study also contributes to the innovation appropriation literature by examining the role of IPR protection in governing collaborative innovation in China. Finally, this paper offers suggestions regarding how Chinese firms should govern their collaborative innovation to remedy the limits of weak legal IPR institution.

Intellectual capital and firm performance: the mediating role of innovation speed and quality

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of intellectual capital (IC) on firm performance, considering the mediating role of innovation speed and quality. We develop a research model based on the IC perspective and innovation literature. We test the model by using structural equation modeling to analyze data collected from 328 high-technology firms in China. The results show that the three components of IC, namely human capital, structural capital, and relational capital, are positively related to innovation speed and quality, which in turn facilitate the operational and financial performance of a firm. The impacts of human and structural capital on financial performance are fully mediated by innovation speed and quality, whereas the impact of relational capital on financial performance is partially mediated. Innovation speed and quality partially mediate the effect of IC on operational performance. As one of the first studies to investigate how IC may influence firm performance through the mediating effects of innovation speed and quality, this study not only contributes to HRM literature on IC and innovation, but also offers managers with insights on how to align their HRM strategies and practices to develop IC when pursuing innovation and performance outcomes.

Leveraging learning forces in asymmetric alliances: Small firms’ perceived power imbalance in driving exploration and exploitation

Prior studies on power and interfirm learning in alliances have devoted limited attention to multiplicate influences of diverse power sources on exploration and exploitation and whether such influences on these two strategies are similar or different. This study investigates the joint effects of two types of perceived power—capability-driven power and position-driven power—on exploration versus exploitation in asymmetric alliances. Using a sample of 205 high-technology firms in China, the analyses suggest that each of the two types of perceived power separately has no direct effects on either exploration or exploitation. However, they complement (multiplicative effects) each other in promoting exploitation and exploration. Interestingly, the balanced effect of perceived position-driven power and perceived capability-driven power is positively related to exploration, while no such an impact is found in terms of exploitation. This study provides alternative insights about inter-organizational learning in asymmetric alliances and points out a direction for future research.

Linking Proactive Personality to Creative Performance: The Role of Job Crafting and High‐Involvement Work Systems

AbstractThis study proposed that job crafting serves as a mechanism reflecting how proactive personality affects creative performance, and this study explored whether these relationships are moderated by high‐involvement work systems. Drawn from the conservation of resources theory to develop a cross‐level moderated mediation model, a three‐wave longitudinal study was conducted with 346 employees and their supervisors in 27 high technology firms in China. This study found that proactive personality was positively related to creative performance and that job crafting mediated the relationship between proactive personality and creative performance, and an indirect effect of proactive personality on creative performance through job crafting was significant when high‐involvement work systems was low but not high. Thus, the research results indicate that when human resource management involves less participatory management, incentive rewards, extensive training and information sharing, proactive employees can draw from their personality to craft their job tasks, relations and cognitions, thereby improving creative performance. The theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF SLACK ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMBIDEXTROUS STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM HIGH-TECH FIRMS IN CHINA

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of ambidexterity of exploration/exploitation on long-term performance and the moderating effects of slack resources. The methodology adopted is panel data analysis of a sample dataset of 125 high technology firms in China. The finding of this study shows that a moderating role of organizational slack between ambidexterity and long-term performance is strongly supported. The research and practical implications of this paper are: (1) Exploration and exploitation can be mutually enhancing instead of being fundamentally contradictory; (2) Slack resources moderate the relationship between ambidexterity and performance. The originality and value of the paper is that it is one of the earliest studies that empirically examine the moderating effects of slack resources on ambidexterity-performance relationship.

The impact of intellectual capital – knowledge management strategy fit on firm performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the fit between intellectual capital (IC) and knowledge management (KM) strategy and its impacts on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on the fit view, the authors posit that firms can enhance performance by aligning the structure of their IC with KM strategy, as reducing the extent to which their actual IC profile deviate from the “ideal” profile when implementing certain type of KM strategy. Using survey data collected from 328 high technology firms in China, the authors tested the research model.FindingsThe more fit a firm’s IC is to its KM strategic type, the better operational and financial performance it can achieve.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample of high technology firms in China might limit the generalization of the findings. Nonetheless, this study is based on and extends prior research, which provides a deepened understanding of the role of IC-KM strategy fit in organizational settings.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that firms should adjust their IC according to KM strategy they employ. According to the findings, managers can selectively develop IC to achieve performance goals under certain type of KM strategy.Originality/valueAs one of the first studies to investigate the relationship among IC, KM strategy and firm performance in a holistic way, it indicates that the IC-KM strategy fit can be a novel explanation for performance variances through the alignment of knowledge-based capability and strategy.

Knowledge sharing and affective commitment: the mediating role of psychological ownership

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the meditating role of psychological ownership which includes both organisation-based psychological ownership (OPO) and knowledge-based psychological ownership (KPO) on the relationship between affective commitment and knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approach– This paper is an empirical study based on structural equation modelling, with a sample of 293 employees from 31 high-technology firms in China.Findings– The result indicated that affective commitment had a significant positive effect on OPO but no effect on KPO; OPO was positively related to both common and key knowledge sharing, while KPO exerted a negative impact on both; common knowledge sharing was positively related to key knowledge sharing; the relationship between affective commitment and key knowledge sharing was multi-mediated by OPO and common knowledge sharing.Originality/value– OPO and KPO play an essential role in transferring the effect of employees’ affective commitment to common knowledge sharing and key knowledge sharing, which unravels the blackbox of how effective commitment affects knowledge sharing.

Does Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Matter in China? Evidence from Financing and Investment Choices in the High-Tech Industry

Abstract Using a unique and rich database of high-technology firms in China, we show that effective enforcement of intellectual property rights at the provincial level is critical in encouraging financing and investing in R&D. Better enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights positively affects firms' ability to acquire new external debt and allows firms to invest in more R&D, generate more innovation patents, and produce more sales from new products. Our results suggest that facilitating financing and investing in R&D are the channels through which better IP rights enforcement can affect economic growth.

Knowledge sharing, intellectual capital and firm performance

Purpose– The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of knowledge sharing (KS) on firm performance and the mediating role of intellectual capital (IC).Design/methodology/approach– A research model was developed based on prior KS and IC studies. A survey was administered to a sample of high technology firms in China and 228 usable responses were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the research model.Findings– Tacit KS significantly was found to contribute to all three components of IC, namely human, structural and relational capital, while explicit KS only has a significant influence on human and structural capital. Human, structural and relational capital, enhance both operational and financial performance of firms. The effect of KS on firm performance is mediated by IC. Explicit KS has a greater effect on financial performance than operational performance, whereas tacit KS has a greater impact on operational performance than financial performance.Research limitations/implications– The sample of high technology firms in China might limit the generalization of the findings. Nonetheless, this study takes its lead from and extends prior research, thus providing a deepened understanding of the role of KS in organizational settings.Practical implications– The paper suggests that managers can enhance firm performance by enhancing their KS and IC. Managers can develop corresponding strategies based on the findings to achieve their specific performance goals.Originality/value– This is one of the first papers to examine how KS contributes to firm performance through the mediation of IC. It will add significant value for organizations trying to enhance their performance though KS practices.

Market Knowledge Tacitness and SMEs' New Product Performance

In this study, we investigate the impact of market knowledge tacitness on the new product performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Tacit market knowledge provides valuable information for new product development (NPD) and enables SMEs to differentiate themselves from competitors. However, knowledge tacitness also brings potential obstacles to knowledge integration and exploitation and creates barriers for NPD. Drawing insights from knowledge-based view, we posit that the effect of market knowledge tacitness on SMEs' new product performance is contingent on firm's R&D strength and new product features. Utilizing a sample of 227 high technology firms in China, we find that internal R&D effort strengthens the effect of market knowledge tacitness on SMEs' new product performance. More specifically, our results show that market knowledge tacitness has a more significant positive effect on performance of new product with market newness, but a negative effect for the one with technological newness. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Effect of Alliance Orientation on Firm Performance: An Empirical Study on High-Technology Firms in China

Based upon the dynamic-capability view and social capital theory, this paper examines the effect of alliance orientation on firm performance. Hypotheses are tested with data collected from 195 high-tech firms in China. Results show that alliance orientation has a significant and positive effect on firm performance. Moreover, market dynamism exerts a positive moderating effect on the relationship between alliance orientation and firm performance, whereas technological dynamism negatively moderates the relationship. Moreover, relational capital partially mediates the same relationship and the interaction effects of alliance orientation and market dynamism on firm performance.

Innovation capability and corporate growth: An empirical investigation in China

This study examines the antecedents of firm innovation capability in high technology firms in China and its effect on long-term corporate growth. It explores the growth-driven core competence of a firm by employing a knowledge-based view. The analysis of firm innovation capability indicates that firm innovation capability is related to long-term corporate growth. The results of this study support this link and the findings stress the importance of innovation intent and infrastructure to a firm's innovation capability.

Managing knowledge for new product performance in the high technology industry

This study used path analysis to examine relationships between knowledge management (knowledge innovation and integration), new product creativity, timeliness, and performance among high technology firms in China. The results indicated that knowledge innovation was significantly related to new product creativity. In addition, knowledge integration was related to new product timeliness, which contributed positively to the new product financial performance. Managerial implications and future research also were discussed.

Strategic orientation of high-technology firms in a transitional economy

Strategic orientation is a critical factor for a firm's competitiveness in a transitional economy context but it is understudied in the current literature. This article examines the antecedents of strategic orientation from both the socio-cognitive and resource-based view perspectives. The study posits that the strategic orientations of firms in a transitional economy context are influenced by the top managers’ cognitions and organizational resources. Based on a national survey of high-technology firms in China, the study finds that a stronger market-focused strategic orientation was facilitated by managerial cognitions about the future of the industry and current operation and performance of the firm, as well as organizational resources including an R&D infrastructure, technological alliance, and top managers' foreign experience. The study confirms that strategic orientations should be examined from multiple theoretical perspectives.

Enhancing the firm's innovation capability through knowledge management: a study of high technology firms in China

This study investigates the effect of knowledge management on a firm's innovation capability. Knowledge acquisition and innovation are particularly examined for their impacts on innovation capability in high technology firms in China and the effect of innovation capability on long-term corporate growth is also assessed. Results show that the innovation capability of high technology firms is significantly related to knowledge acquisition and innovation in these firms. The innovation capability also has been shown to positively contribute to long-term corporate growth.

New product development: An innovation diffusion perspective

This study examines the antecedents of the adoption of innovation diffusion in high technology firms in China and its effect on new product creativity and financial performance through a series of statistical techniques including logistic analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that the adoption of innovation diffusion in high technology firms is significantly related to the competition intent of these firms including aggressive technology posture and product development frequency. The adoption of innovation diffusion also has been showed to positively contribute to the new product creativity and financial performance. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.