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To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2009.00630.x Byline: Hsien-Che Lai (3), Yi-Chia Chiu (1), Yi-Ching Liaw (2), Tai-Yu Lee (2) Abstract: This study uses data on 582 electronics and information technology firms in Taiwan for the period 1997-2005 to investigate the hypothesis that technological diversification increases the extent of organizational divisionalization under firm growth. This study applies competence-based theory to argue that firms spread the technological competence base to achieve firm growth. However, in the face of firm growth, managers of multi-technology firms often utilize a multi-division structure to manage their various technologies based on their operating characteristics or needs. Furthermore, the findings of this study indicate that complementary assets moderate the negative relationship between technological diversification and organizational divisionalization. For firms with specialized complementary assets, multi-technology firms may be observed to consolidate related-technology activities into fewer divisions, facilitating the utilization of these complementary assets in conjunction with other divisions. Author Affiliation: (3)Department of Business and Management and Graduate Institute of Technology Management, National University of Tainan, Tainan City, Taiwan (1)Graduate Institute of Intellectual Property, National Chengchi University, Taipei City, Taiwan (2)Department of Business Administration, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan Article note: Corresponding author email: hsienche@gmail.com

Byline: Hsien-Che Lai, Yi-Ching Liaw The aim of this paper is to develop a 'technological system' for evaluating the effects of innovation policies. Limited resources, coupled with seemingly unlimited demand for development, means that policies must be made regarding the allocation of scarce resources. The significance of evaluating the effects of innovation policies is therefore increasing. A hierarchical fuzzy integral multi-criteria decision making (fuzzy integral MCDM) approach for evaluating the effects of innovation policies is proposed in this paper. To show the practicality and usefulness of this approach, a case involving the Taiwan Integrated Circuit (IC) design industry is demonstrated. The results show that the 'political' policy tool is the most effective. Environment side policies and scientific and technical development policies are vital to Taiwan's IC design industry. This demonstration also shows that the proposed model is valid.

Byline: Hsien-Che Lai, Shih-Chi Chang, Joseph Z. Shyu This paper explores the innovation policy priorities in industrial evolution. This issue has not been discussed in most of the literature. Taiwan has devoted considerable resources to the semiconductor industry. Resources have been aimed at promoting research and development-based industrial activity and economic growth. This paper chose the Taiwan semiconductor industry for a case study study on the innovation policy priorities in industry evolution. Many of the policy tools for innovation were found to be different in the four phases. An 'Environment side' policy was shown to be vital for the initial phase of industry evolution. Government involvement in the later phase of industry evolution is not necessary. However, to maintain domestic technology capacity, the government should focus its industrial development strategy onto innovation for the next generation of technological R&D. 'Environment side' policy should play a vital role once again. In the above shifting pattern, policy establishments were pulled by the industry needs for evolution.

This study examines situations in which betweenness centrality (BC) is useful for firms pursuing technological diversity. Given the role of BC in firms’ access to external technological knowledge, the study explores the extent to which R&D and manufacturing resources, technological strength, and financial slack moderate the relationship between BC and technological diversity. The results show that BC alone does not exert a positive effect on technological diversity. Furthermore, R&D resources, technological strength, and financial slack each positively moderate the relationship between BC and technological diversity, whereas manufacturing resources do not. Identifying the influential moderators of internal resources should enable firms to harness the benefits of BC. Thus, firms should possess such internal resources to further their technological diversity through BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]