A Study On Effect Of Knowledge Transfer Capacity Of University And Absorptive Capacity Of Firm On Knowledge Transfer Performance

In the knowledge economy times, knowledge transfer(KT) is the important driving power of social and economic development. How to improve the performance of inter-firm knowledge transfer has become an important social issue,and attracted academic, business, government attention. In order to make a smooth process of the KT, the source should possess the knowledge transfer capacity(KTC),and the absorber should possess the absorptive capacity(AC). Today, domestic and overseas scholars have conducted in-depth study from multiple angles, and have achieved fruitful results. Among them, integrative research on KTC and AC is an important study area, which has been studied from the angle of parent-subsidiary companies, firm alliances, intra-firm. However, as one of the important part of KT,the KTC and AC of university-industry knowledge transfer(UIKT) have not yet been specially studied by scholars. There are many differences between UIKT and interfirm KT, because UIKT has many its own features, such as university has more high quality talents than firm, and more focused on theory research. Therefore, prior research provides little lessons for UIKT. In the times of transforming from large industry country to strong technology country, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of UIKT through studying the relation among university knowledge transfer capacity(UKTC), AC and knowledge transfer performance(KTP).This paper is aimed at providing answers to following three questions:(1) which dimensions constitute the UKTC, and how should these dimensions be combined to cover the shortage of AC?(2) What impact does the UKTC has on the AC and KTP?(3) How does the AC change in the process of KT, and at the same time what impact does the AC has on the KTP?By literature review, this study analyzes the relations among UKTC, AC and KTP. Then, a construct model is built through case study. This construct model preliminarily reveals that the UKTC is consisted of knowledge stock, learning capacity, articulating capacity, communicating capacity, and integrating capacity.And these five dimensions not only directly have an effect on KTP, but also indirectly exerts influence on the KTP through AC.To investigate the construct model, this paper provides 11 assumptions. With method stratified random sampling, 50 universities would be randomly selected forthe survey, and 306 questionnaire data would be obtained. With software packages of SPSS16.0, its implemented confirmatory factor analysis and regression analysis for306 sample data. The results of confirmatory factor analysis verify the point that UKTC is consisted of five dimensions, and the results of regression analysis show that 10 assumptions pass the test. This thesis gets the following conclusion:Firstly, the UKTC consists of five dimensions: knowledge stock, learning capacity, articulating capacity, communicating capacity, and integrating capacity.These five dimensions determine the UKTC. Among these five dimensions, learning capacity and integrating capacity are the best important dimensions.Secondly, the UKTC is one of dynamic capacities and can change according to AC. When the AC is low, the university should adopt tight type of dimensions combination(including all five dimensions); when the AC is high, the university should adopt loose type of dimensions combination(including knowledge stock,learning capacity and articulating capacity); when the AC is low, and the firm would not like to release too much information to university, university can adopt semiloose type of dimensions combination(including knowledge stock, learning capacity,articulating capacity, communicating capacity).Thirdly, the KTC plays a positive role on the AC. The KT is a long term project. When the AC is low, the university can replace the firm to use the transferred knowledge. And the technical staff can learn from the university during the process.This way of learning is similar to “learning by doing”, which can improve learning efficiency.Fourthly, the KTC plays a positive role on the KTP. The KTC will impact the KTP through two channels. One is direct impaction that is the KTC replaces the AC to use the transferred knowledge, and the other is indirect impaction that is the KTC impact the performance through the AC.Fifthly, the AC plays a role of a bridge joining the UKTC and KTP. When the UKTC impacts the KTP directly, it impacts the KTP through a second way. In these paths, the AC played a mediate role.The innovations of this paper are as following:Firstly, this study confirms the dimensions of UKTC.Based on the properties of UKT, we confirm the dimensions of UKTC, and deepen the existing studies about KTC. Compared with KTC, UKTC have its ownfeatures, such as the knowledge of university is theoretical knowledge, the aim of university is complicated, which decided the proper dimensions of UKTC. This paper adds the dimensions of “learning capacity” compared with prior studies. Because the knowledge comes from scientific experimentation or research without experienced any practice, and maybe have lots of disadvantages. When this knowledge is used in practice, many troubles would be meet. If the university has the “learning capacity”,these disadvantages can be amended.Secondly, this paper analyzing the dynamic process of KTC's impaction on AC.This study reveals the KTC is not a static capacity but a dynamic capacity.Existing paper studies the KTC with time-point data, which can't reveal the dynamic relationship between variables, and unable to reveal the interaction process of these two variables. So existing paper realizes the KTC is a static capacity.In order to remedy the above shortage, this paper adopts both case study and empirical study. We realize that KTC is a dynamic capacity, and KTC will change according to AC. This discovery provides an important reference to understand deeply the KTC and AC.Thirdly, this article constructs system of UKTC's dimension combinationThe system of UKTC's dimension combination provides a reference for knowledge transfer. If the AC of firm is weak, the university should select close combination; if the AC of firm is strong, the university should select loose combination. The dynamic feature is put forward based on the change of combination.Fourthly, this study extends the relationship between KTC and AC.According to existing studies, KTC is a complementary capabilities for AC. But the conclusions of this article reveal that the KYC is not only a complementary capabilities for AC, but also have an active effect on AC. The conclusion extends the view that KTC is a complementary capabilities for AC, and restores the true function of KTC. At the same time, this conclusion broadens the ways to enhance the AC.According to existing views, the ways to enhance AC is limited to R&D, training and so on. This paper provides another ways to enhance AC.Fifthly, this research broadens the channel of KTC's influence on KTP.Existing researches studied the direct influence of KTC on KTP, such as the direct influence of parent company on subsidiaries, the direct influence of source on absorber in the alliance of auto. Based on the prior researches, we discover andconfirm another channel that is KTC has an indirect influence on KTP through AC.