本研究透過專利的引用資料來衡量各企業的知識獲取行為，並且企業分析外部環境的不確定性如何影響企業進行知識獲取的表現。並針對各公司本身的吸收能力如何干擾環境不確定性以及知識獲取行為間的關係做更進一步的探討。我們運用這些變數建立我們的研究模型，並且提出8個假說。
我們收集資訊與通訊科技產業以及製藥產業的次級資料，並且分別進行統計分析。為了驗證我們的假說，我們採用負二項迴歸法及隨機誤差。各個自變項與依變項間統計分析的結果，我們透過三個模型呈現。第一個模型展示控制變數的效果，第二個模型則是自變項與依變項的關係，第三個模型加入干擾變項並檢測其效果。
研究的結果指出，在資訊與通訊科技產業中，環境不確定性對企業的知識獲取行為有影響力，但在製藥產業中該影響力不夠顯著。同樣地，在資訊與通訊科技產業中，企業本身的吸收能力也會有效干擾前述兩者間的關係，而在製藥產業中，只有環境不確定性與外部知識獲取行維艱的關係有受到影響。
本研究的貢獻在於釐清環境變化與企業知識獲取行為的關聯，並且模擬企業的知識學習能力如何對此關聯產生影響。我們建議研究與發展部門經理人可透過多加注意環境的變化，並且跟隨環境變化改變知識獲取的策略，可能可以促使他們獲取更多有價值的知識。

This study measured a firm’s knowledge sourcing activities by its patent citations, investigates the impact of environmental uncertainty to a firm’s knowledge sourcing and examines the moderating effect of absorptive capacity to the relationship between environmental uncertainty and knowledge sourcing. We constructed our research model from these variables and established 8 hypotheses.
The study employed secondary data analysis in information and communication technology (ICT) industry and pharmaceutical industry respectively. To test our hypotheses, a negative binomial regression with random effect had been used in the study. The regression results of each dependent variable were provided by 3 models, Model A for control variables effects, Model B for main effects and Model C for moderating effects.
The results indicated that environmental uncertainty has contribution to firm’s knowledge sourcing activities in ICT industry; rather it was non-significant in pharmaceutical industry. And the effect of environmental uncertainty would be moderated by absorptive capacity in ICT industry, in pharmaceutical industry, only relationships between environmental uncertainty and external sourcing supported our hypotheses.
The contribution of this study is to clarify environmental changes have impact to a firm’s knowledge sourcing activities and how a firm’s learning ability could contribute to this relationship. We suggest that R&D managers should notice the changes of the environment and adjust their sourcing strategies to acquire more valuable knowledge.

中文摘要 i
Abstract ii
Table of Contents iii
List of Figures v
List of Tables vi
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 2 Literature Review 5
2.1 Knowledge Sourcing 5
2.2 Environmental Uncertainty 6
2.2.1 Environmental Dynamism 8
2.2.2 Environmental Munificence 9
2.3 Absorptive Capacity 10
2.4 Research Model 14
Chapter 3 Data and Methods 15
3.1 Data Collection 15
3.2 Measurement 17
3.2.1 Dependent Variable 17
3.2.2 Independent Variable 18
3.2.3 Moderator – Absorptive Capacity 19
3.2.4 Control Variable 19
3.3 Model Specification 20
Chapter 4 Results 22
4.1 Empirical Results 22
4.2 Robustness Check 30
Chapter 5 Discussion & Conclusion 31
5.1 Theoretical contributions 31
5.2 Managerial Implications 33
5.3 Future Research 34
References 36
Appendix A : Robustness Check Table 45

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