Browsing by Author "Chen, Ming-Jer"

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    Subsidiary Innovation and Diffusion: An Integrated Approach on Learning of Subsidiaries from Diverse Local Environments
    Mu, Shaohua Carolyn (Virginia Tech, 2003-07-25)
    This dissertation investigates the factors that influence the learning of subsidiaries from their local environment and the sequential knowledge outflow from the subsidiaries. Scholars have recognized the ability to learn from diverse local environments as a critical source of competitive advantage for multinational corporations (MNCs). However, the factors influencing the extent to which MNCs learn from local environments in order to develop innovative capabilities have not been well understood. Considering the complexity of institutional environments faced by subsidiaries, this dissertation explores cross-level factors that influence subsidiary learning from diverse local environments. At interface levels, a subsidiary's local embeddedness and its learning strategy influence the awareness of local strategic knowledge by the subsidiary. At context levels, local market competition and corporate entrepreneurial culture affect the motivation of a subsidiary to learn from diverse local environments. Finally at subsidiary level, top management team heterogeneity impacts the capability of a subsidiary to learn. This dissertation applies both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Multiple-case studies provide rich details, while survey research tests the generalizability of the proposed conceptual model. Overall, the empirical evidence supports the impact of local embeddedness, learning strategy and corporate entrepreneurial culture on subsidiary learning, and in turn, on knowledge outflow. The impact of top management team heterogeneity turns insignificant upon the simultaneous inclusion of all other factors. The influence of local competition is absent. The control variables include size, technology resources, and internationalization. This dissertation contributes to both MNC and organizational learning literature. The major contribution to MNC literature is the advancement of the understanding of knowledge acquisition and creation of MNCs by learning from the local environment. The cross-level approach with subsidiary as the unit of analysis provides a unique perspective. The major contribution of this dissertation to organizational learning literature lies in the development of a learning framework, and its application to MNC context with empirical tests. This dissertation presents potentials to advance the local responsiveness-global integration framework with a knowledge-based view.
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    The Upper-Echelon Perspective of Firm Competitive Behavior: Empirical Evidence from the U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry
    Offstein, Evan Hayden (Virginia Tech, 2004-11-17)
    How firms compete for an advantage is among the most critical questions in Business Strategy. While several researchers link executives to key strategic outcomes, much less is understood on how the Upper-Echelon team drives the actual competitive behavior of the firm, which is manifested in the launching of observable and purposeful competitive actions within the marketplace. Considering that competitive behavior research tends to overlook the importance of human assets, in general, and executive human assets, in particular, I explore how the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the Chief Executive (CEO), Top Management Team (TMT), and Board of Directors (BOD) impact a firm's competitive behavior. In addition, I examine how sources of Social Capital, or the relationships between these Upper-Echelon actors, influence a firm's competitive behavior. Moreover, I argue and test for the moderating influence of executive compensation on firm competitive behavior. Applying relational demography to capture Human Capital and sources of Social Capital within the U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry, I find some empirical support that executives do, indeed, affect firm competitive behavior. Overall, the empirical evidence indicates that the Human Capital of the CEO, TMT, and BOD can influence all dimensions of a firm's Competitive Intensity. Unexpectedly and, contrary to prediction, executive dissimilarity (not similarity) tended to greatly influence a firm's Competitive Activity and Repertoire Complexity. Also, the moderating impact of executive bonus and incentive pay was largely supported. This dissertation contributes to both the competitive behavior and Upper-Echelon literatures. Notably, this dissertation adds to the very limited work that attempts to theoretically link and empirically test for executive impact on firm competitive behavior. By so doing, it begins to open the "black box" on how human assets at the Upper Echelon affect strategic outcomes through a firm's competitive behavior.