Strategic technology alliances and networks

This paper briefly reviews the literature on strategic technology alliances (STAs) and networks, allocating the contributions to ‘micro’ (firm) and ‘meso’ perspectives (the network). The focus is on a logical reconstruction of important themes in the literature pertaining to the role of STAs in boosting innovation and in promoting the survival and growth of partners and their environments. Overall, the literature points to a quite important role of alliances and networks especially in knowledge-intensive industrial activities combining the production and utilization of technological knowledge for competitiveness and growth. Not unexpectedly, important differences are pointed out in terms of incentives and benefits from alliances across different types of firms and industries. Network structure evolves in accordance with the nature of the industry and with the type of technological advancement sought by participating organizations.     

Learning in strategic technology alliances

In this paper we examine the influence of strategic technology alliances on organisational learning. From an empirical perspective we examine the pre- and post-alliance knowledge bases of allying firms. We find that the pre-alliance knowledge base overlap of the allying firms has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the degree of learning taking place in the alliance. Alliances established for the purpose of learning also show a significantly greater increase in knowledge base overlap for the allying firms than for non-learning alliance or non-allying firms. This shows the particular importance of learning alliances as a vehicle for organisational learning and competence development. Contrary to what we expected we found that weak ties are more important than strong ties in organisational learning within strategic alliances.     

Learning in strategic technology alliances

In this paper we examine the influence of strategic technology alliances on organisational learning. From an empirical perspective we examine the pre- and post-alliance knowledge bases of allying firms. We find that the pre-alliance knowledge base overlap of the allying firms has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the degree of learning taking place in the alliance. Alliances established for the purpose of learning also show a significantly greater increase in knowledge base overlap for the allying firms than for non-learning alliance or non-allying firms. This shows the particular importance of learning alliances as a vehicle for organisational learning and competence development. Contrary to what we expected we found that weak ties are more important than strong ties in organisational learning within strategic alliances.     

Academic faculty as intellectual property in university-industry research alliances

In this article, we consider a particular type of strategic alliance that is perhaps most difficult to operate: those involving universities and industry that are based in a university setting. We consider this type of research alliance because while we know they face formidable challenges in terms of property rights – with the academic faculty participating in these alliances constituting the ‘property’ – there is very little study of how to address these challenges. Accordingly, we review a number of literatures focused on the shared use of human capital, from management science, organizational behavior, and science policy studies, among others, emphasizing the incenting of collaborative, boundary-spanning research. We discern lessons from these literatures for incenting industry-focused research in university settings and make some recommendations for future research on university-industry research alliances.     

The effect of strategic alliances on firm productivity in South Korea

Using a rich firm-level data set from South Korea, this article analyses the impact of strategic alliances on firm performance, focusing on how firm productivity is affected by alliance types such as joint venture, joint technical development, technical alliance, joint marketing and coproduction as well as alliance structures such as intra- and inter-industry alliances. Total factor productivity (TFP) is estimated through the semi-parametric method suggested by Levinsohn and Petrin (2003). In addition, a two-stage least-squares (2SLS) method is applied to reduce the potential endogenous problem between productivity and strategic alliance choices. The empirical results found in this article indicate that the engagement in joint ventures positively affects firm productivity and that the formation of international intra-industry alliances has a positive impact on firm productivity.     

A co-opetition perspective of technology alliance governance modes

Many firms undertake alliances as a tactic in their competitive strategy to gain technological benefits from their competitors. Little is known, however, about how simultaneous competition and cooperation between rivals (i.e. co-opetition) influence the alliance governance modes. To bridge this deficit, we integrated a variety of different theoretical perspectives into the concept of co-opetition. Based on the dynamic nature of co-opetitive relationships, we also consider the moderating effect of external technological turbulence on the choice of technology alliances. We tested our hypotheses on a sample of 405 international technology alliances in different industries. It was found that the inter-firm co-opetitive relationship results in alliance member preference to choose contractual agreements as the governance mode in new alliances. However, when external technological turbulence increases, firms tend to tighten alliance governance (i.e. through equity joint ventures) in response to the turbulence.     

中小企业R＆D战略联盟合作伙伴选择研究

近年来,R＆D战略联盟作为一种新的组织形式成为中小企业提高自身实力、实现可持续发展的有效途径。本文分析了我国中小企业R＆D战略联盟的现状以及存在的问题,提出了联盟合作伙伴选择的基本策略和原则,建立了基于舍偏好DEA的中小企业R＆D战略联盟合作伙伴选择模型,并对模型进行了实证分析。实证结果表明,本文建立的模型能够针对企业的不同需求使企业对候选伙伴进行评价选择,从而可以帮助企业寻找到符合自身要求的R＆D战略联盟合作伙伴。     

European Alliance and Knowledge Networks1

This paper presents an exploratory exercise to characterize the nature of inter-organizational networks and the strategic positioning of companies in five industrial sectors: pharmaceuticals, plastics, computers, electronics and instruments. Two types of networks in each sector are analysed: knowledge networks based on patent citations and technology alliance networks based on strategic partnerships. Three sets of results with significant policy and strategy implications underline both the need for better understanding of the social/competitive context within which companies operate and the utility of social network analysis in achieving this goal. First, apparent differences in the networking behaviour in ‘simple technology’ sectors (pharmaceuticals) vis-à-vis networking behaviour in ‘complex technology’ sectors (computers, electronics and instruments) are indicated. Second, a difference between knowledge and alliance networks across all examined sectors is pointed out in terms of their effectiveness as channels of knowledge communication. Third, apparent differences in the competitive positioning of European firms and firms from the United States and Japan in the examined sectoral knowledge networks may reveal significant variance in inter-continental business strategy.     

A technology opportunities analysis model: applied to dye-sensitised solar cells for China

Technology opportunities analysis (TOA) can support policy-makers or managers in making strategic technical decisions so as to enhance their technological innovation capability and international competitiveness. This paper presents a multi-level framework to support and systematically identify technological opportunities. Patent data as a key component of technology innovation are used to enable TOA within the framework in the present research. At the research and development (R&D) level, we anticipate the directions of technology development based on technology morphology. Countries’ development emphases can also be investigated in order to help identify their R&D strengths and weaknesses and to seek promising development pathways. At the level of competition, we devise the assignee-technology analysis to obtain insight into competitive participants’ technical emphases and intents. It is also used to explore possible collaboration opportunities among them. At the market level, we apply patent family analysis to understand countries’ target markets and to assess prospects for the commercialisation of their technology. We pursue TOA to explore China's opportunities and challenges in dye-sensitised solar cells. The empirical case analysis supports the effectiveness of the TOA model. We believe it can be adapted well to fit other emerging technologies.     

路径依赖对公司数字创业的抑制及免疫机制研究

路径依赖是在位企业实现数字创业面临的必然挑战，而对企业如何有效利用内外部资源克服路径依赖，现有研究并未形成明确的观点。基于组织免疫理论，遵循抑制—免疫分析思路，从战略联盟和资源拼凑内外视角探究公司数字创业中克服路径依赖的免疫机制。实证结果表明，路径依赖对公司数字创业具有显著抑制作用；战略联盟与资源拼凑均能够对路径依赖的抑制作用产生免疫效应，但针对路径依赖的3个表现维度，战略联盟与资源拼凑发挥的免疫效应存在显著差异。     

基于联盟的数字产业技术标准国际化路径研究——以昕诺飞为例

数字产业具有前沿性、复杂性和高度不确定性,技术标准国际化是数字产业保持全球竞争力的重要举措。采用纵向单案例研究法,以昕诺飞为研究对象,探索企业推进技术标准国际化的路径及机制。结果表明,昕诺飞实现技术标准国际化的主要路径是基于自主研发或收购专利组建标准联盟或专利联盟并制定发布联盟标准,进而将其转化为国际标准、目标国国家标准和团体标准;企业可基于标准开展相应认证检测,形成“联盟+标准+专利+认证检测”的闭环,实现“技术专利化—专利标准化—标准国际化—市场垄断化”的良性循环,以维持企业长期竞争优势;推进技术标准国际化的关键在于组建联盟,我国数字产业可通过“标准联盟+专利联盟”的双联盟策略,形成核心层稳固的开放式战略联盟,通过构建共生演化生态系统推进技术标准国际化。     

产业技术创新战略联盟稳定性影响机制研究 ——一个合作机制视角的多案例探索性分析

以3个产业技术创新战略联盟案例为样本，运用扎根理论的三阶段编码方法，从联盟合作机制视角，构建产业技术创新战略联盟稳定性影响机制模型，对联盟稳定性进行多案例探索性研究，得出以下命题：运行机制、控制机制、激励机制和整合机制共同构成产业技术创新战略联盟的长效合作机制，该四维机制作为联盟运行的机制保障，有助于提升产业技术创新战略联盟稳定性;政府政策能强化联盟合作机制对联盟稳定性的促进作用。结论可为战略联盟长效合作机制构建以及政府政策制定提供理论依据和参考。     

结构洞度对联盟网络中企业创新绩效的影响研究

对于结构洞是否可以真正促进企业创新网络中的成员提高创新绩效,不同学者持有不同观点。在国内外相关研究文献的基础上,发现企业在联盟网络中所处的结构洞位置与局部网位置都将对企业的创新性产生影响,从而提出结构洞度概念。结合社会网络分析法与负二项回归方法,以社会网络理论为基础,以中国家用视听设备制造业企业联盟网络为研究对象,研究了企业在战略联盟网络中网络位置的结构洞度对企业创新绩效的影响。研究结果表明,企业所处联盟网络的结构洞度的确可以对企业的创新绩效产生显著促进作用,这将为企业在选择联盟伙伴时提供重要的参考依据。     

Implicit protectionism via state enterprises and technology transfer from foreign enterprises

We formulate a mixed triopoly in which one state enterprise competes with one domestic and one foreign private enterprise. The private enterprise can transfer its technology to the private rival, which reduces the rival’s production cost. We show that if the privatization policy is endogenous, then the foreign firm voluntarily transfers its technology. We also show that the foreign enterprise may strategically raise its local ownership share. These results suggest that the existence of a state enterprise and its potential future privatization serve as an industrial policy that improves the domestic firm’s competitive advantage relative to the foreign enterprise.     

半导体产业共性技术供给研究——基于日、美、欧典型共性技术研发联盟的案例比较

本文以日本、美国和欧洲的三家具有代表性的、典型的半导体产业共性技术研发联盟VLSI、SE-MATECH和IMEC为研究对象,通过案例比较分析,结合不同联盟形成的产业环境和政策背景,总结出三家联盟在服务对象、组织结构与模式、研发投入、研发与运作模式等方面的异同,以期为我国半导体产业共性技术研发联盟的组建和运作提供借鉴。     

社会资本与企业竞争优势:基于知识的观点

企业如何在网络中获得竞争优势是战略管理学者关注的一个新的研究焦点。知识是企业获取持续竞争优势的一项重要源泉，通过对网络中社会资本的结构维度、认知维度及关系维度对知识存量和知识转移的作用机理分析，提出了基于社会资本的企业竞争优势模型。以集群为网络平台进行案例分析，指出网络中的社会资本是动态演变的，其与企业的成长阶段存在匹配问题，因此，企业在网络中获取竞争优势的关键是要培养自身的知识管理能力和网络管理能力。     

The effect of internal and external technology sourcing on firm performance throughout the technology life cycle

In studies about the impact of technology sourcing on firm performance, the impact of the technology life cycle has thus far received scant attention. This paper investigates this topic from the knowledge-based perspective. Data was gathered from 22 PLD (Programmable Logic Device) manufacturers in the integrated circuit industry between 1986 and 2005, and used to test two hypotheses based on panel analysis: (1) that strategic alliance networks, as a mode of external technology sourcing, have a positive effect on a firm's innovative and market performance early in the technology life cycle, and (2) that internal development as a mode of internal technology sourcing has a positive effect on a firm's innovative and market performance later in the technology life cycle. Although both hypotheses are supported as far as market performance is concerned, neither is supported when it comes to innovative performance.     

战略联盟关系资本的形成及其管理

战略联盟关系资本能给企业带来关系性租金,从而提升企业的竞争优势。但是,与一般企业管理不同,战略联盟管理更加复杂,其复杂性主要体现在如何妥善处理联盟企业之间的合作关系。因此,战略联盟管理需要加强关系资本管理,通过增加专用性资产投资、促进信任和承诺的循环递进,以及构建有效的冲突协调机制,从而建立和维护战略联盟关系资本。     

Protecting Strategic Knowledge: Insights from Collaborative Agreements in the Aerospace Sector

This paper explores the dilemma that firms face with respect to knowledge sharing in strategic alliances. On the one hand, alliance success is associated with high levels of interaction and co-operation between partners. On the other hand, full and open co-operation exposes a firm's distinctive knowledge and skills and makes it vulnerable to opportunistic moves by alliance partners. Hence firms experience a fundamental paradox: to gain the greatest benefits they must exchange information and knowledge with external parties yet, at the same time, they must protect themselves against knowledge appropriation. This dilemma is particularly acute in the aerospace sector where political imperatives strongly influence partner choice and collaborators are often strong rivals in other contexts. In this paper we use data drawn from four collaborative agreements in the aerospace sector to explore the ways in which a focal firm has sought to protect its strategic knowledge and manage knowledge flows in alliance relationships. We find that existing theoretical lenses provide valuable but partial insights into the question of knowledge appropriation in alliances and offer limited guidance to managers charged with making alliances work. We suggest that some rich insights can be gained by focusing on the overlaps and interstices between existing theories and that greater exploration of the everyday working practices in alliances may offer a useful starting point for improved theorising.     

战略联盟伙伴搜索、战略柔性与突破性创新的关系研究

战略联盟伙伴搜索打破了搜寻范围与知识结构对企业技术发展轨迹的束缚,是企业赢得竞争优势的重要来源。结合创新搜索理论和资源基础观,构建了战略联盟伙伴搜索、战略柔性与突破性创新的理论模型,研究发现:战略联盟伙伴搜索的不同维度对企业突破性创新均有显著正向影响;战略柔性对企业突破性创新有显著正向影响;战略柔性在战略联盟伙伴搜索和企业突破性创新之间起中介作用。