Research On The Inter-Organizational Knowledge Transfer Based On The Inter-firm Networks

With the globalization of economy and the development of science and technology, great changes have taken place in the management of enterprises. On one hand, competition becomes more and more fierce, on the other hand, cooperation is very popular. The former brings about threats to enterprises, while the latter creates lots of opportunities. Inter-organizational learning is an important way for enterprises out from threats and to seize opportunities in internet age. As the basic and primary process of inter-organizational learning, it is of great value to research on the inter-organizational knowledge transfer based on the inter-firm networks.This thesis gives an explanation for the cooperation between enterprises with application of knowledge-based theory of the firm. Inter-organizational knowledge transfer is the reason for the formation of inter-firm networks. Inter-firm networks, at the same time, bridge a platform for the inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Then this thesis explores the mechanism and system of inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Based on researches at home and abroad, a theory model of network knowledge transfer has been set up. With the data of Chinese knowledge transfer as an evidence the thesis analyzes the hypothesis entailed in the model. At last a detailed prescription research has beenmade to tell enterprises how to use cooperative networks to promote knowledge transfer. It also provides a theoretical reference for the impopularization of technology cooperation between Chinese enterprises and the lack of knowledge transfer between universities.The method of this research is from problem to theory, then, to description study, last to prescription research. The main contribution of this thesis lies in the following.I. Using social cohesion of relationship and network range to depict the network structure of enterprises and introducing them to analysis model to research quantitatively the regulation function of inter-firm networks on the influential factors of knowledge transfer and exploring the way to make a full use of the regulation function. It is innovative at home and abroad.II. Integrating all kinds of influential factors of knowledge transfer into such four aspects as characteristics of the source of the knowledge, characteristics of the recipient of the knowledge, characteristics of the knowledge transferred, characteristics of the context, and quantitatively analyzing Chinese inter-organizational knowledge transfer with the result of knowledge transfer as dependent variable to set up a theory model. Quantitative research and Chinese characteristic is innovative because of the different results of researches athome and abroad.III. Enlightened by the function of learning motivation in pedagogy and the transformation of voltage in power supply and based on the analysis of knowledge characteristics, such two systems of knowledge transfer having been established as characteristics of knowledge and transfer motivation or abstractness degree and driven division because knowledge transfer is stimulated by demand-driven and supply-driven and a theory of inter-firm network positioning having been established on the basis of all kinds of researches concerning the inter-firm networks.IV. Exploring the advantages of inter-firm cooperation in the application of knowledge with the comparison between knowledge integration in market, enterprises and cooperation and application ratio of knowledge by applying the theory of enterprise knowledge and making an conclusion that cooperation is the best choice for enterprises especially for knowledge-oriented enterprises and at the same time giving a new explanation for enterprises cooperation.