新创企业高管团队职能多样性的绩效效应——基于社会网络的解释

TMT Functional Diversity of New Ventures and Firm Performance: Based on the Social Network

制约“大众创业、万众创新”深入开展的瓶颈之一在于高管团队(TMT)的职能多样性,其所嵌入的社会网络特征更是对企业绩效作用的关键情境因素。本文基于中小型新创企业的368份问卷数据研究表明:TMT内部网络密度对TMT职能多样性与企业绩效关系具有显著的正向调节作用,而TMT外部网络桥连接的调节作用不显著;TMT内部网络密度与外部网络桥连接的交互作用进一步强化了这一作用关系;与TMT外部网络桥连接相比而言,TMT内部网络密度在TMT职能多样性与绩效之间关系中的作用更为强大,即TMT成员间的基于信任的网络更为重要。本文研究结论在理论上揭示了TMT职能多样性与企业绩效关系的情境作用机理,进而拓展了TMT职能多样性对企业绩效正向作用的边界条件模型,丰富了高阶梯队理论;在实践上为优化中小型新创企业TMT结构提升企业绩效以及为实现创新驱动的国家战略提供了理论支持。

One of the bottlenecks restricting the in-depth development of “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” lies in the functional diversity of the executive team (TMT).The social network features embedded in it are the key situational factors for the performance of enterprises.Prior studies focus more on the the degree of difference in TMT members experience,age,tenure,profession,etc.However,research on the functional diversity of the TMT constituent features is not studied enough.Situation is an important factor in the performance of its performance,but we still know less about the important contextual factors of network characteristics embedded in TMT.Moreover,the existing research does not distinguish the type of functional diversity of TMT,and it is measured as a whole to study its role,which may lead to the research conclusion may not be accurate.At the same time,prior studies mainly concerned about the listed company TMT,and less research focused on the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) in China.However,newly-created SMEs are not only numerous but also an important support for national economic activity.And,the existing research conclusions based on listed companies may be not applicable to newly-created SMEs.Therefore,it is necessary to investigate these issues.In theory,it is conducive to enrich and expand the boundary condition model that plays a positive role in the performance of TMT functions in upper echelons theory.In practice,it is conducive to improving the TMT structure of the most active new SMEs in economic activities,thereby improving corporate performance. Therefore,based on the social network theory and upper echelons theory,through a questionnaire employ the samples of SMEs from Jiangsu,Zhejiang,Henan,the social network (internal network,external relationship) features embedded in TMT are situational factors.,and explores its complex regulatory role in the relationship between TMT functional diversity and corporate performance.(1) The“double-edged sword”feature of the diversity of TMT functions.The greater of diversity of TMT functions is more beneficial to enrich the knowledge and skills of the enterprise,but the greater diversity of functions often increases the conflict within the team.(2) The impact of the “double-edged sword”feature of TMT s functional diversity on performance.The “double-edged sword”nature of TMT functional diversity on TMT decision-making quality makes its impact on corporate performance uncertain (positive,negative,and unaffected).(3) The adjustment of the internal network density of TMT.The TMT trust network density plays a regulatory role in the diversity and performance of TMT s individual functions.The higher the network density,the more effective the TMT s individual functional diversity and dominant function diversity.(4) The regulation of TMT external network bridge connection.TMT external network bridge connection plays a role in regulating the diversity and performance of TMT s individual functions.The richer the bridge connection,the more effective the role of TMT s individual functional diversity and leading function diversity.(5) The joint adjustment of internal network density and external network bridge connection.There is a triple interaction between internal network density and external network bridge connectivity and TMT s individual functional diversity and dominant functional diversity for firm performance. According to these empirical results,this study indicates that:(1)The internal network density of TMT has a significant positive adjustment effect on the relationship between TMT functional diversity and enterprise performance,while the adjustment of TMT external network bridge connection is not significant;(2)The interaction between TMT internal network density and external network bridge connection further strengthens this role relationship. Compared to existing research,the innovation point of this paper can be summarized as,first,we focus on a large number of SMEs,study the impact of risk taking on performance.Second,this paper introduces the characteristics of TMT social network into the upper echelons theory,discusses the influence of TMT social network characteristics on the relationship between TMT function diversity and enterprise performance,and provides theoretical support for the realization of the innovation-driven national strategy.