Case study of strategic network

First, the influence of the structural relationship of strategic network on enterprise network rent.

The strategic network of an enterprise allows the enterprise to get close to the key resources in its network. Because the advantages of enterprise network are heterogeneous and path-dependent, and the channels of resources themselves are heterogeneous, the social relations embedded in enterprise network, including individuals and organizations, vary from person to person and from organization to organization. Therefore, this kind of network is difficult to be imitated or replaced by competitors, that is, only when the network of a specific enterprise is organically integrated with specific resources and knowledge can network rent be generated. The enterprise's own strategic network is regarded as an unrepeatable resource and ability-core ability to maintain its competitive advantage. Let's prove that strategic network is an unrepeatable resource and capability from the aspects of network structure, network members and network characteristics:

1. Network structure is a kind of resource: network structure refers to all relational structure patterns embedded in an enterprise, which are unique and have the potential to provide competitive advantages, and are called network resources Gulati. This kind of resource is a special resource, which exists in the network where the enterprise is located, not in an enterprise. The quantity and quality of such resources used by enterprises can affect their strategic behavior, because enterprise resources can change the opportunities used by enterprises, and these resources can enable enterprises to gain the advantages of key and valuable information, resources or knowledge in the network. Moreover, an enterprise's network resources have a unique historical development process and "unique path dependence". With the change of network structure mode, the relationship density between nodes is increasing, and enterprises can provide them with more valuable information resources that can produce competitive advantages in their networks, so that they can act faster than their competitors outside the networks, and the advantages of the networks are increasing. Therefore, the relationship embeddedness (including strong nodes and weak nodes) and structural embeddedness (including dense nodes and sparse nodes) of network structure are the sources of competitive advantage of enterprises and have a direct impact on enterprise performance.

2. Network members as enterprise resources: Network members are the basic elements of strategic networks, including the identity, status, resources, roads and other characteristics of each member. Network members are always heterogeneous, because there are no enterprises with the same resources, knowledge and social relations. In this way, the resources of strategic network members are more difficult to imitate than the structure, and the network structure can theoretically be imitated by others. In an enterprise's strategic network, there are long-term trading partners, alliance partners, long-term technical partners (such as universities and scientific research institutions), government agencies, stakeholders, banks and so on. These "opportunity sets that both limit and increase future available relationships" can enable enterprises in the network to obtain rich information, knowledge and resources that are difficult for them to obtain, while enterprises outside the network cannot obtain these resources. For example, in the strategic network of Dell enterprises, Dell enterprises make full use of the resources of network partners, avoiding huge investment in spare parts production equipment, human resources and warehousing, and avoiding excessive%&; Investment and risk, in the research and development stage, disclose technical requirements and production plans to network partners to shorten the production cycle and carry out research and development; The sales of enterprise D has maintained an annual growth rate of 47% in the past ten years. Therefore, a partner with its own unique ability and rich resources in the network may provide a valuable resource and ability for the enterprise, thus affecting the behavior and performance of the enterprise.

3. Node characteristics as enterprise resources: Node characteristics refer to the principles, norms and capabilities of enterprises in managing their strategic networks. These principles, abilities and norms play a key role in how to prevent opportunistic behaviors, promote the evolution of strategic networks and form network rents. Although some standards and norms can sometimes be expressed by formal contracts, many standards and norms in the strategic network are formed with the evolution of the network, which is a kind of "private contract" and "information", the so-called self-reinforcing agreement, and a governance structure based on relational assets or reputation. Under the self-reinforcing agreement, network members cooperate, trust and depend on each other, which promotes the evolution of the network, realizes the transfer of tacit knowledge (which is difficult to be embodied in formal contracts and requires long-term close personal relationships), reduces the network operation cost and generates network rent. For example, the supplier network established by Japanese Toyota enterprises in the United States has formed the practice of knowledge sharing through the establishment of supplier associations, consulting and problem-solving teams and independent learning teams, and at the same time established a complex incentive system, which has made both Toyota and suppliers in the United States profit. Because strategic network management is the management of a complex organization, it needs multi-level recognition within the network (including inter-organization, inter-organization or inter-organization individuals, etc.). ), the problem of finding suitable partners, detailed negotiations and contracts, etc. In managing the network, it involves applying appropriate governance mechanisms, formulating knowledge sharing standards among enterprises, encouraging necessary changes in partnership when the network changes, and managing the wishes of partners. All this shows that enterprises must have the ability to manage strategic networks-alliance ability. The greater the alliance ability, the stronger the ability to generate network rent. Because with the continuous evolution of strategic network, the greater the alliance ability of enterprises, it means that the more experience in managing alliances, the better network management, and the higher the utilization rate of network resources, so as to get more returns (rents) from the network. In a word, strategic network is a valuable resource and capability, just like other tangible and intangible assets (such as products, capabilities and brands).

Second, the impact of learning characteristics of strategic networks on enterprise performance

Among the various elements flowing in the strategic network, the essence is the flow and exchange of knowledge, and all organizations in the network are exchanging and acquiring knowledge. Therefore, strategic network has obvious learning characteristics, which promotes the exchange of knowledge and mutual learning between nodes. This is an inter-organizational learning network. Enterprises continue to spread, use, absorb, integrate and innovate knowledge through the network, effectively play the role of existing core competencies and form new core competencies to obtain more rents. Therefore, learning and knowledge sharing in the network are the key to the success of enterprises in network cooperation and competition. Enterprises are constantly developing in the process of learning and communicating with other organizations in the network. Implicit and unrepeatable network relationships and network members in strategic networks are the key sources of enterprise learning and ability. Powell (1996) found that the innovative position of biotechnology industry lies in the network rather than in a single enterprise, and the acquisition of patents requires a large number of staff from different organizations to work and study together, including biotechnology enterprises, pharmaceutical enterprises and universities, and thinks that if a biotechnology enterprise cannot create (or enter) a "learning network", it will not gain a competitive advantage [7]. Therefore, the network and its members are the source of innovative thinking and competitive advantage, and network rent is realized through the strategic network, a learning network that enjoys knowledge and information. The amount of network rent depends on the contribution and learning ability of network members. The greater the contribution of network members, the stronger their learning and absorption ability, and the higher their rent acquisition.

There are two kinds of knowledge flowing in the strategic network: one is explicit knowledge; The other is tacit knowledge, in which tacit knowledge is the source of enterprises' sustainable competitive advantage. Therefore, most of the knowledge learned, absorbed and integrated through strategic networks is tacit knowledge. Because of the particularity of tacit knowledge, it is necessary to have a learning routine (a management model that allows network members and individuals to transform, integrate or innovate specific knowledge), the relationship between specific individuals or organizations, and the absorptive capacity of network members, in which the learning routine is the foundation and plays a coordinating management role in the learning network. Including the establishment of incentive system and mechanism to encourage network members to reveal, transmit and * * enjoy valuable specific knowledge, and at the same time prevent these knowledge from overflowing to competitors, formulate network rules and standards to prevent the problem of * * * hitchhiking in activities, so as to ensure the transformation of tacit knowledge under the system and ensure that members who transmit and receive information get network rent. In order to truly realize the transmission, absorption and enjoyment of tacit knowledge, it also depends on the relationship network between organizations and individuals in the enterprise network. The relationship network embedded in the enterprise forms a relationship of interdependence and mutual trust, which is conducive to knowing where, who owns what tacit knowledge and who can share it with, realizing face-to-face direct communication and learning, and promoting the exchange, absorption and utilization of tacit knowledge through "learning by doing" and "learning by learning". Of course, with good practice and good relationship, it is difficult to systematically identify and digest tacit knowledge in the network if there is no absorption ability or learning opportunity. The central enterprise in the strategic network can help the network members to improve their absorption ability and master when to learn and transfer knowledge, thus effectively realizing the transformation of tacit knowledge. In a word, the learning network based on strategic network helps enterprises to transfer, share, absorb, integrate and innovate tacit knowledge and generate more rents through strong identification and coordination of rules.