关系还是契约:服务创新网络治理和知识获取困境

Relational or contractual: The dilemma of service innovation network governance and knowledge acquisition

服务创新网络的特征例如人际网络性、高嵌入性知识占主导、缺乏正式制度等使得服务企业更倾向于选择非正式的关系治理机制。已有的研究更多地从关系的视角研究服务创新网络治理,无法捕捉服务创新网络复杂、动态的合作关系,因此需要进一步探索契约治理机制和关系治理机制在服务创新情境中的共同作用以及新的变化。已有的网络治理研究对于契约治理和关系治理之间的关系存在不一致的结论。为了更好地解决理论冲突,本研究利用浙江省308家高技术服务企业合作创新活动的调查数据,考察契约治理机制和关系治理机制与知识获取、服务创新之间的关系。研究结果显示,关系治理有助于服务创新,知识获取是高技术服务企业利用关系治理机制实现服务创新的中介机制。在服务创新网络的情境下,契约治理和关系治理对于知识获取是两种不兼容的治理手段。契约治理会减弱关系治理对知识获取的促进效应。研究结论为高技术服务业的网络创新战略提供了新的启示。

Service innovation network carries the characteristics of interpersonal relationships,highly embedded knowledge and lacking of formal intellectual property protection institutions. These characteristics enable serve firms to choose informal relational governance mechanisms to promote knowledge exchange and profit protection. However,the relational perspective cannot capture the complex and dynamisms of service innovation network,which need more comprehensive study of the joint effects of the contract- based governance and relational- based governance. Extant literature offers conflicting views regarding the effects of governance mechanisms on knowledge acquisition and service innovation. Based on a survey of 308 knowledge intensive service firms,the study addresses how relation- based governance mechanism and contract- based governance mechanism affect knowledge acquisition and service innovation. The results show that relation- based governance has positive effect on knowledge acquisition. Knowledge acquisition has the mediating effect between relation- based governance and service innovation. Moreover,relation- based governance and contract- based governance have a negative joint effect on knowledge acquisition. The findings provide important theoretical and managerial implications for collaborative innovation strategy in service sector.