联盟合作中的知识流失风险与知识保护：信任的调节作用研究

An Empirical Study on Knowledge Expropriation with Knowledge Protection: The Moderating Effects of Trust

联盟合作存在知识流失风险,企业必须在共享知识和保护知识的平衡中抉择。本研究对213家参与联盟合作的企业进行问卷调研,通过调节效应分析,实证研究联盟合作中信任在知识流失风险影响知识保护过程中的外在影响。研究结果表明,知识流失风险是企业进行知识保护的重要依据,而合作伙伴间的信任可以在一定程度上降低企业的知识保护行为,但信任并不能完全消除知识保护的必要性。针对研究结论,本文提出了相应的管理对策及研究展望。

Collaboration has become one of the most significant ways to respond to market competition and avoid innovation risk for firms. The transfer and sharing of knowledge among firms is crucial to successful collaboration. Tensions between knowledge sharing and knowl- edge protection will be encountered by firms in the process of collaboration. This article is dedicated to the establishment of an analytical framework, by studying the impact of knowledge expropriation on the decision-making of knowledge protection, and the interaction mecha- nism between knowledge expropriation and trust. Relevant theory from other research is also integrated. 213 survey questionnaires from collaborative firms were picked as a sample to analyze the moderating effects on the relationship of trust when knowledge expropriation influences knowledge protection. The conclusion is that knowledge expropriation is the rationale behind knowledge protection and trust can have a posi- tive moderating effect. That is to say, to a certain extent, knowledge protection would be reduced in a good trust environment, although trust can＇t completely eliminate such actions on the other hand. It should be taken into account that the coexistence of competition and cooperation may lead to knowledge expropriation and can damage the competitive position in the long run, although knowledge sharing among firms contributes to cooperative performance in the short run. We propose that the tendency of firms toward knowledge protection should be made in reference to the possible knowledge expropriation encountered. Apart from this, firms must protect their key knowledge by controlling knowl- edge flow, staff arrangements, contracts, modes of collaborations and so on. Furthermore, knowledge accumulation and protection are discussed from a risk perspective, in order to provide firms with an idea of coopera- tion based on knowledge expropriation. This is helpful for firms to man- age their knowledge resources effectively. The conclusions reached not only provided some areas for future research the risks of collaboration, but also established certain instructions for firms＇ operations.