資訊科技與組織持續競爭優勢之分析－採用複雜理論

Analysis of Information Technology and Sustainable Competitive Advantage － Using Complexity Theory

陳仁偉(Jen-Wel Chen)

指導教授 ： 謝清佳

國立臺灣大學/管理學院/資訊管理學研究所/博士(2014年)

https://doi.org/10.6342/NTU.2014.02975

摘要

資訊科技引發組織持續競爭優勢的現象，九十年以後一直是學者所關心的研究議題；另一方面企業更是關注於如何用資訊科技來打造持續競爭優勢。本論文的個案組織正是利用資訊科技創造持續競爭優勢的典範機構。本論文嘗試超越過去偏重於成功因素的分析研究，採用詮釋性研究方法，將個案組織長達15年的歷程視為一個處於渾沌狀態的開放系統，使用複雜理論耗散結構的四個機制詮釋個案組織用資訊科技引發持續競爭優勢的整個動態歷程分析：依據複雜理論耗散結構，個案組織是經由外在環境變化，引發內部的「擾動漲縮」，並採用資訊科技因應環境變化，再次不斷引發擾動漲縮，而這些漲縮經由「正向回饋循環」不斷增強擾動的幅度，而終至突破組織慣性，產生全新的局面，亦即所謂的新秩序或新的競爭優勢。為維持新的局面，依耗散結構會有「制衡機制」與「重組機制」與「正向回饋循環」共同運作，以維持新秩序的穩定。

本研究詮釋的結果發現個案組織在15年之中，有四波擾動漲縮，突破組織慣性產生組織持續競爭優勢，分別是(1)數位學習、(2)以資訊科技打造終身教育第一品牌、(3)快速回應與(4)終身教育拓展BOT/OT的持續競爭優勢。浮現四個正向回饋循環，分別是(1)財務政策與資訊科技投資的正向回饋循環、(2)虛－實正向回饋循環、(3)利害關係團體與資訊科技建置之正向回饋循環與(4)終身教育人口與資訊科技建置的正向回饋循環，這些正向回饋循環，不斷增強，終至促成這些演變。在此四個正向回饋循環，個案組織呈現五個制衡機制：(1)任命資訊長為執行長、(2)營利至上、(3)山頭式管理風格、(4)法令規範與(5)資訊科技本身，讓系統避免過度發展而致崩潰。透過(1)資訊科技成果內化來重組，讓資訊科技融入組織運作中，並(2)透過資訊科技成果外展來重組，讓資訊科技運作模式成為組織的新利基的兩個重組機制，塑造個案組織的持續競爭優勢與因應新的外在力量所形成的擾動漲縮，維持個案組織的持續競爭優勢。耗散結構四個機制圓滿地呈現個案組織如何以資訊科技引發持續競爭優勢。表現出複雜理論耗散結構四個機制的價值。

關鍵字

資訊科技 ； 持續競爭優勢 ； 複雜理論 ； 耗散結構 ； 浮現 ； 詮釋性個案研究 ； 長期性研究

並列摘要

Abstract

Information technology increases sustainable competitive advantage has been a popular research topic after 1990; moreover, companies are getting focused on this topic as well. In our case study we pick an organization as a benchmark baseline to analyse how organization can create sustainable competitive advantage by utilizing Information technology. Instead of emphasis on the analysis of success factors, this paper attempts to use of hermeneutic case study approach. Researcher uses four dynamics of emergence posited by complexity theory’s dissipative structures model—fluctuation, positive feedback loop, stabilization, and recombination—to interpret how Information technology has created sustainable competitive advantage in case study. In the case study, the target organization has been periodically transformed itself over 15-years. Based on dissipative structures model, the target organization was changed by the external environment, fluctuation was trigged internally and the information technology was used to for the environmental changes. It made fluctuation happened again and again. The margin of fluctuation was extended via the "positive feedback loop". The inertia of the organization was stopped broken at the end and transformed the existing order into a new order with competitive advantage. According to the dissipative structure model, “Stabilization Dynamics”, “Recombination Dynamics” and “Positive Feedback loop Dynamics” will work together to keep stability of the new order.

The results of this study: Researcher founds there are four sets of fluctuations establish new orders to stop the inertia of organization and then make organizations with sustainable competitive advantage in the past 15 years. The four sets of orders through fluctuation are (1) digital learning, (2) information technology to create the first brand of lifelong education, (3) quick response and (4) expansion of lifelong education BOT / OT sustained competitive advantage. Each new order gained momentum through numerous positive feedback loops, four of them are (1) the positive feedback loop between the financial policies and investment in information technology, (2) the positive feedback loop between visionary and real, (3) the positive feedback loop between stakeholder groups and information technology, (4) the positive feedback loop between the population of lifelong education and information technology. The positive feedback loop grows and finally contributes to the evolution of sustainable competitive advantage. Beside positive feedback loops, there are 5 Check and Balance Mechanism: (1) CEO assigns the position of Chief Information Officer, (2) “show me the money”, (3) factionism, (4) laws and regulations and (5) information technology itself provided stability throughout that evolution of sustainable competitive advantage. Through two recombination dynamics, (1) organizations were transformed by means of the Information Technology Internalization, it made the information technology integrated into the operation of the organization and (2) organizations were transformed by outcomes outreach of information technology, it made operational patters of information technology into new niches, reconstituted organization to generate sustainable competitive advantage and resisted small external forces fluctuation to maintain status of sustainable competitive advantage. Complexity theory’s dissipative structures model satisfactorily interpret how Information technology initiated sustainable competitive advantage in target organization. The study demonstrates the value of four dynamics of dissipative structures model.

並列關鍵字

Information technology ； sustainable competitive advantage ； complexity theory ； dissipative structure theory ； emergence ； hermeneutic case study ； longitudinal research

參考文獻

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