知識複製與模仿之不對等障礙對持久性競爭優勢影響之研究 : 以連鎖體系之便利商店及連鎖咖啡為例

Exploring the Impacts of Asymmetrical Barriers between Knowledge Replication and Knowledge Imitation on Sustainable Competitive Advantages: The Convenient Stores and Cafes Chain System as Examples

知識經濟時代，知識為組織的核心資源，透過組織內部複製的過程，使之應用於一更廣泛的市場範圍，以最大化該知識所能實現的租，並創造競爭優勢的議題，成為業界及學術界關注的焦點。但競爭優勢的持久性，則源自於該資源被競爭者模仿障礙之高低。不幸的是，複製與模仿是併道而行的，當組織意圖建構競爭者模仿障礙的同時，可能也築高了其內部對知識複製的困難度。我們關注的焦點在於：在那些情況下，組織較其他競爭者，擁有不對等的移轉障礙優勢，使其在進行內部的複製過程，可以獲致競爭優勢，另一方面，又能延緩競爭者的模仿威脅。本研究從知識的特質模糊性、因果連結模糊性及知識系絡模糊性，來探討對知識複製與模仿所產生的不對等障礙，進而對持久性競爭優勢之影響，並以連鎖體系中的便利超商及連鎖咖啡為研究對象。有效問卷共295份，經過LISREL分析後，研究結果顯示，當模糊度分為高、中及低時，在中模糊度下，知識特質模糊性、因果連結模糊性及知識系絡模糊性，均形成複製與模仿的不對等障礙；而在高及低模糊度下，因果連結模糊性及知識系絡模糊性，形成複製與模仿的不對等障礙。資料亦顯示在中模糊度下，對複製與模仿之不對等障礙影響最為顯著。最後，當不對等障礙愈高，對持久性競爭優勢的影響也愈明顯，同時，因果連結模糊性對持久性競爭優勢也產生直接的影響。本研究認為組織管理者對於核心知識的資源配置，及對未來能力發展的願景上，承擔重要的責任。因此，辨識複製與模仿不對等障礙的驅動因子，及如何透過再投資計畫以維持、補強或重建構此一優勢基礎，成為重要的策略性議題。

Knowledge has emerged as the most strategically significant resource and the source of competitive advantage of the firm. The replication of productive knowledge within the organizational boundary can leverage and exploit the rents it can earn. However, in order to speed up the effective replication, the knowledge may have to be transformed from a tacit into a more explicit form. By doing this, the knowledge will increase it's transparency and lower down the imitation barrier which will erode the sustainability of it's advantage. The high linkage relationship between replication and imitation has evoked a lot of research interest. However, what firms concern is under what situation in which the asymmetric transfer barriers exist.Based on the viewpoint of knowledge causal ambiguity, this study examined the source of asymmetric barriers between replication and imitation, and their effects on the sustainability of organizational competitive advantage. Compared with prior studies, this study incorporated three antecedents: Knowledge characteristics ambiguity, causal linkage ambiguity and knowledge context ambiguity as the major sources of ambiguity. To explore the critical relationships among ambiguities, asymmetric barriers and competitive advantage sustainability, this study executed two research designs: 1. deep interviews with top managers to generate the industry core knowledge list. 2. an empirical test with the retailing industry as the subjects and 295 respondent data were analyzed using LISREL.This study concluded that the paradox of replication and imitation mainly derived from knowledge characteristics ambiguity, particularly at the high and low level of ambiguity. This means that organization will gain the most advantage at the moderate level of ambiguity. However, the causal linkage and knowledge context ambiguity will positively influence the asymmetric barriers at all the situations of high, moderate and low level of ambiguity. Also, the asymmetric barriers will positively associate with the competitive advantage.This study argues that managers should take the major responsibilities to dispose their core knowledge and the future development of their vision. Therefore how to identify the drivers of asymmetric barrier between replication and imitation, and how to retain、enhance or rebuild these advantages become the most important strategic management issue.