Recently, knowledge is becoming one of the most important organizational resources for sustainable competitive advantage and ultimately for the firm's long-term success and more and more firms are taking great interests in the creation, management, and exploitation of knowledge available to them. Furthermore, conceptual and empirical research on the knowledge-based theories like knowledge management and organizational learning, especially in technological innovation is increasing rapidly. However, a few empirical researches of technological learning processes have been undertaken, taking into account a reality of specific learning processes of a firm. Researches on the organizational routines suggest a reality of learning processes which how organizational routines evolve, are change, and become a competitive advantage. But researches on the organizational routines have an interest only to the procedural knowledge. In order to manage knowledge effective, we have to answer the following question how to acquire and accumulate various knowledge from declarative knowledge to procedural knowledge.
The purpose of this study is to investigate specific technological learning processes in order to answer the above mentioned question about knowledge acquisition and accumulation of various knowledge especially focused on technological knowledge. For this purpose, integrative organizational learning perspective can be a useful lens to overcome the limits of researches on the organizational routines and observe specific technological learning process of various technological knowledge. More specifically, this thesis analyze the technological learning processes and its determinants to performance of technological learning by analyzing 16 technology development projects of S company in South Korea which aim to reach technology internalization.
In order to begin the analysis of specific technological learning processes, this study proposes research framework and theoretical research model of organizational learning processes conceptually based on extensive literature review of integrative organizational learning perspective and related individual and organizational learning theories. Based on this theoretical research model of organizational learning process, two separated but inter-related empirical study is done with its own more specified research model. These two specified research model are definitely derived from theoretical research model of organizational learning processes conceptually proposed.
First empirical study is focused on team learning process. Based on literature review and consultation of industrial practitioner's experience of management of technology for long times, three team processes - team building, information seeking, and problem solving as most important team learning activity to latecomer are derived. This study analyzes the moderating influence of technology internalization mode between effective three team processes and performance of technological learning. According to multiple case studies, results of the analyses suggest three team processes we derive have a positive impact to performance of technological learning. Also, it suggests that importance of team building and information seeking process vary with technology internalization modes. Furthermore, it is shown that effective problem solving style is different along technology internalization modes.
Second empirical study is focused on team learning process and organizational memory process. In this study, specific sequences of technological learning processes from team learning to organizational memory process until each technology development project get its goal of technology internalization and its determinants of technology internalization is investigated based on research model of integrative learning perspective. Results of the empirical analyses suggest that two taxonomies of technological learning processes are derived. First are four group of technological learning processes derived by the dimension of interplay of cognitive and behavioral learning. The other is two group of technological learning processes derived by the dimension of difficulty of cognitive and behavioral learning. Related to determinants of technological learning, this analysis shows that determinants of cognitive and behavioral learning are different. Also, it suggests that the determinants of cognitive and behavioral learning vary with technology development stages. Furthermore, it is shown that determinants of each group of technological learning processes are different along two taxonomies of technological learning processes. Finally, the managerial implications of this study, future research direction, and conclusion are discussed for effective management of technological learning.
