• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.111-121
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• 2011

Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are establishing globally-distributed R&D centers around the world. Firms can overcome resource constraints and achieve superior innovative performance not only by using internal resources but also acquiring knowledge from oversea R&D centers. This paper explores the key factors that have been cited as significant influences on the ability to transfer knowledge, an important area of knowledge management of MNCs. Also, we identify the emerging outcomes in terms of R&D transfer and for the education, employment, and retention of knowledge works in MNCs. The result will be helpful for both MNC's managers and governments' decision makers with respect to R&D centers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.5-13
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• 2020

Purpose: This research investigates the cost behavior of the distribution industry. Specifically, we investigate if the ratio of the increase in costs with an increase in sales is consistent with the ratio of the decrease in costs when sales decrease. Traditionally, cost is assumed to be symmetrical. In the case of the distribution industry, it was expected that the downward rigidity of the cost would be shown because it would be very difficult to decide to adjust resources when sales temporarily decrease. Therefore, studies have looked at Korean capital markets based on manufacturing and steel industries. However, no research has been done on the distribution industry. Research design, data, and methodology: To verify the hypothesis of this study, the asymmetry of cost was measured by Anderson et al. (2003). The sample used 28,695 firm-year data from 2002 to 2019 for the KOSPI and KOSDAQ stock markets. Results: The empirical analysis results are as follows. First, asymmetry of cost was observed in the case of the distribution industry. We confirm cost rigidity when sales decreased. Conclusions. This is the first study to look at cost behavior in the distribution industry, and the downward rigidity of cost in the distribution industry is observed.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.265-275
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• 2022

In the current fast-growing market economy, the accounting-outsourcing trend of small and medium-sized enterprises is on the increase. Studies from both foreign and domestic sources have shown that many factors influence this decision. However, each country has different economic and political characteristics, so these factors and their degree of impact on accounting outsourcing also vary. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting the decision to outsource accounting activities of small and medium transport enterprises in Vietnam. A survey of 384 transport SMEs was conducted using the convenience sampling method. A personal interview with owners/managers/CFOs in 3 major cities of Vietnam based on a research review was conducted. The model examines the influence of many independent variables on accounting outsourcing. The multilinear regression analysis shows that the higher the Assets Specificity, the lower the degree of accounting outsourcing. In addition, the degree of outsourcing is positively and significantly related to frequency and trust in accountants. Besides, when we include control variables such as gender, administrative level, firm size, company age, education, and experience into the model. The results show that small and medium enterprises with limited resources should switch from the traditional internal accounting method to a professional accountant with external knowledge. Based on this study, the author proposes several implications for the accounting outsourcing of small and medium-sized transport enterprises in Vietnam to be more effective. Finally, this study also contributes to the basic knowledge of accounting outsourcing.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.87-106
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• 2013

In the service-oriented economy, knowledge and skills are considered core resources to secure competitive advantages and service innovation. Knowledge management capability, which facilitates to produce, share, accumulate and reuse knowledge, becomes as important as knowledge itself to create service value. Along with knowledge management capability, dynamic capability and operational capability are the key capabilities related to managing service delivery processes. Previous studies indicated that these three capabilities are related to service innovation. Although separately investigate the relationship between the three capabilities. The purpose of this study is 1) to define variables that have effects on service innovation including knowledge management capability, dynamic capability and operational capability, and 2) to empirically test to identify relationship among variables. In this study, knowledge management capability is defined as the capability to manage knowledge process. Dynamic capability is regarded as the firm's ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments. Operational capability refers to a high-level routine that, together with its implementing input flows, confers upon an organization's management a set of decision options for producing significant outputs of a particular type. The proposed research model was tested against the data collected through the survey method. The survey questionnaire was distributed to the managers who participated in an educational program for management consulting. Each individual who answered the questionnaire represented a knowledge based service firm. About 212 surveys questionnaires were sent via e-mail or directly delivered to respondents. The number of useable responses was 93. Measurement items were adapted from previous studies to reflect the characteristics of the industry each informant worked in. All measurement items were in, 5 point Likert scale with anchors ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Out of 93 respondents, about 81% were male, 82% of respondents were in their 30s. In terms of jobs, managers were 39.78%, professions/technicians were 24.73%, researchers were 12.90%, and sales people were 10.75%. Most of respondents worked for medium size enterprises (47,31%) in their, less than 30 employees (46.24%) in their number of employees, and less than 10 million USD (65.59%) in terms of sales volume. To test the proposed research model, structural equation modeling (SEM) technique (SPSS 16.0 and AMOS version 5) was used. We found that the three organizational capabilities have influence on service innovation directly or indirectly. Knowledge management capability directly affects dynamic capability and service innovation but indirectly affect operational capability through dynamic capability. Dynamic capability has no direct impact on service innovation, but influence service innovation indirectly through operational capability. Operational capability was found to positively affect service innovation. In sum, three organizational capabilities (knowledge management capability, dynamic capability and operational capability) need to be strategically managed at firm level, because organizational capabilities are significantly related to service innovation. An interesting result is that dynamic capability has a positive effect on service innovation only indirectly through operational capability. This result indicates that service innovation might have a characteristics similar to process innovation rather than product orientation. The results also show that organizational capabilities are inter-correlated to influence each other. Dynamic capability enables effective resource management, arrangement, and integration. Through these dynamic capability affected activities, strategic agility and responsibility get strength. Knowledge management capability intensify dynamic capability and service innovation. Knowledge management capability is the basis of dynamic capability as well. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed further in the conclusion section.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.35-55
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• 2013

Information technology is a critical resource necessary for any company hoping to support and realize its strategic goals, which contribute to growth promotion and sustainable development. The selection of information technology and its strategic use are imperative for the enhanced performance of every aspect of company management, leading a wide range of companies to have invested continuously in information technology. Despite researchers, managers, and policy makers' keen interest in how information technology contributes to organizational performance, there is uncertainty and debate about the result of information technology investment. In other words, researchers and managers cannot easily identify the independent factors that can impact the investment performance of information technology. This is mainly owing to the fact that many factors, ranging from the internal components of a company, strategies, and external customers, are interconnected with the investment performance of information technology. Using an agent-based simulation technique, this research extracts factors expected to affect investment performance on information technology, simplifies the analyses of their relationship with economic modeling, and examines the performance dependent on changes in the factors. In terms of economic modeling, I expand the model that highlights the way in which product quality moderates the relationship between information technology investments and economic performance (Thatcher and Pingry, 2004) by considering the cost of information technology investment and the demand creation resulting from product quality enhancement. For quality enhancement and its consequences for demand creation, I apply the concept of information quality and decision-maker quality (Raghunathan, 1999). This concept implies that the investment on information technology improves the quality of information, which, in turn, improves decision quality and performance, thus enhancing the level of product or service quality. Additionally, I consider the effect of word of mouth among consumers, which creates new demand for a product or service through the information diffusion effect. This demand creation is analyzed with an agent-based simulation model that is widely used for network analyses. Results show that the investment on information technology enhances the quality of a company's product or service, which indirectly affects the economic performance of that company, particularly with regard to factors such as consumer surplus, company profit, and company productivity. Specifically, when a company makes its initial investment in information technology, the resultant increase in the quality of a company's product or service immediately has a positive effect on consumer surplus, but the investment cost has a negative effect on company productivity and profit. As time goes by, the enhancement of the quality of that company's product or service creates new consumer demand through the information diffusion effect. Finally, the new demand positively affects the company's profit and productivity. In terms of the investment strategy for information technology, this study's results also reveal that the selection of information technology needs to be based on analysis of service and the network effect of customers, and demonstrate that information technology implementation should fit into the company's business strategy. Specifically, if a company seeks the short-term enhancement of company performance, it needs to have a one-shot strategy (making a large investment at one time). On the other hand, if a company seeks a long-term sustainable profit structure, it needs to have a split strategy (making several small investments at different times). The findings from this study make several contributions to the literature. In terms of methodology, the study integrates both economic modeling and simulation technique in order to overcome the limitations of each methodology. It also indicates the mediating effect of product quality on the relationship between information technology and the performance of a company. Finally, it analyzes the effect of information technology investment strategies and information diffusion among consumers on the investment performance of information technology.