IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jemstr/v23y2014i1p125-148.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Behind the Scenes: Sources of Complementarity in R&D

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Ceccagnoli
  • Matthew J. Higgins
  • Vincenzo Palermo

Abstract

Management consultants increasingly recommend that internal R&D be outsourced; however, little is known about the substitution or complementarity between internal and external R&D. Through structural estimation of a flexible innovation production function we provide a deeper understanding of firm‐level drivers of complementarity between these two types of investments. Our analysis is based on a unique panel data set on the R&D and in‐licensing expenditures of pharmaceutical firms. Our results suggest that internal R&D and in‐licensing are neither complements nor substitutes. We find that the degree of complementarity is enhanced for firms with stronger absorptive capacity, economies of scope, and licensing experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Ceccagnoli & Matthew J. Higgins & Vincenzo Palermo, 2014. "Behind the Scenes: Sources of Complementarity in R&D," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 125-148, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:23:y:2014:i:1:p:125-148
    DOI: 10.1111/jems.12048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jems.12048
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/jems.12048?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rebecca Henderson & Iain Cockburn, 1996. "Scale, Scope, and Spillovers: The Determinants of Research Productivity in Drug Discovery," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 27(1), pages 32-59, Spring.
    2. Arora, Ashish & Gambardella, Alfonso, 1994. "Evaluating technological information and utilizing it : Scientific knowledge, technological capability, and external linkages in biotechnology," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 91-114, June.
    3. Bronwyn H. Hall, 1993. "Industrial Research during the 1980s: Did the Rate of Return Fall?," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 24(2 Microec), pages 289-343.
    4. Ashish Arora & Alfonso Gambardella, 2010. "Ideas for rent: an overview of markets for technology," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 19(3), pages 775-803, June.
    5. David J. TEECE, 2008. "Profiting from technological innovation: Implications for integration, collaboration, licensing and public policy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Transfer And Licensing Of Know-How And Intellectual Property Understanding the Multinational Enterprise in the Modern World, chapter 5, pages 67-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Chris Forman & Avi Goldfarb & Shane Greenstein, 2008. "Understanding the Inputs into Innovation: Do Cities Substitute for Internal Firm Resources?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(2), pages 295-316, June.
    7. Henry Grabowski, 2002. "Patents, Innovation and Access to New Pharmaceuticals," Journal of International Economic Law, Oxford University Press, vol. 5(4), pages 849-860, December.
    8. Daron Acemoglu & Joshua Linn, 2004. "Market Size in Innovation: Theory and Evidence from the Pharmaceutical Industry," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(3), pages 1049-1090.
    9. Tat Chan & Jack A. Nickerson & Hideo Owan, 2007. "Strategic Management of R& D Pipelines with Cospecialized Investments and Technology Markets," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(4), pages 667-682, April.
    10. Berndt, Ernst R. & Christensen, Laurits R., 1973. "The translog function and the substitution of equipment, structures, and labor in U.S. manufacturing 1929-68," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 81-113, March.
    11. Pollak, Robert A & Sickles, Robin C & Wales, Terence J, 1984. "The CES-Translog: Specification and Estimation of a New Cost Function," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 66(4), pages 602-607, November.
    12. Patricia M. Danzon & Andrew Epstein & Sean Nicholson, 2007. "Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4-5), pages 307-328.
    13. Grabowski, Henry, 2002. "Patents, Innovation and Access to New Pharmaceuticals," Working Papers 02-28, Duke University, Department of Economics.
    14. Tsai, Kuen-Hung & Wang, Jiann-Chyuan, 2008. "External technology acquisition and firm performance: A longitudinal study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 91-112, January.
    15. Cohen, Wesley M & Levinthal, Daniel A, 1989. "Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 569-596, September.
    16. Andrea Fosfuri & Marco S. Giarratana & Alessandra Luzzi, 2008. "The Penguin Has Entered the Building: The Commercialization of Open Source Software Products," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 292-305, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Graddy-Reed, Alexandra, 2020. "Getting ahead in the race for a cure: How nonprofits are financing biomedical R&D," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).
    2. Charles Hoffreumon & Chris Forman & Nicolas van Zeebroeck, 2024. "Make or buy your artificial intelligence? Complementarities in technology sourcing," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 452-479, March.
    3. Sitnicki Maksym, 2018. "Exploration of the role of business schools in the development of world-class research universities," Technology audit and production reserves, 1(39) 2018, Socionet;Technology audit and production reserves, vol. 1(5(39)), pages 36-45.
    4. Li-Ying, Jason & Mothe, Caroline & Nguyen, Thi Thuc Uyen, 2018. "Linking forms of inbound open innovation to a driver-based typology of environmental innovation: Evidence from French manufacturing firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 51-63.
    5. Mar�a Garc�a-Vega & Elena Huergo, 2019. "Asymmetric additionalities between R&D outsourcing locations," Discussion Papers 2019-08, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    6. García-Vega, María & Vicente-Chirivella, Óscar, 2020. "Do university technology transfers increase firms’ innovation?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    7. Billette de Villemeur, Etienne & Versaevel, Bruno, 2019. "One lab, two firms, many possibilities: On R&D outsourcing in the biopharmaceutical industry," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 260-283.
    8. García-Vega, María & Huergo, Elena, 2019. "The role of international and domestic R&D outsourcing for firm innovation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 775-792.
    9. Joshua L. Krieger & Xuelin Li & Richard T. Thakor, 2022. "Find and Replace: R&D Investment Following the Erosion of Existing Products," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(9), pages 6552-6571, September.
    10. Marshall S. Jiang & Jie Jiao & Zhouyu Lin & Jun Xia, 2021. "Learning through observation or through acquisition? Innovation performance as an outcome of internal and external knowledge combination," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 35-63, March.
    11. María García-Vega & Óscar Vicente-Chirivella, 2020. "The effect of technology transfers from public research institutes and universities on firm innovativeness," Discussion Papers 2020-10, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    12. Grimpe, Christoph & Sofka, Wolfgang & Schulz, Philipp & Borchhardt, Geoffrey Thilo, 2019. "Markets for technology in Europe: Mapping demand and its drivers," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-043, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    13. Spyros Arvanitis & Boris Lokshin & Pierre Mohnen & Martin Woerter, 2015. "Impact of External Knowledge Acquisition Strategies on Innovation: A Comparative Study Based on Dutch and Swiss Panel Data," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 46(4), pages 359-382, June.
    14. Thomas Åstebro & Carlos J. Serrano, 2015. "Business Partners: Complementary Assets, Financing, and Invention Commercialization," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 228-252, June.
    15. María García‐Vega & Elena Huergo, 2021. "Organization of R&D outsourcing: Asymmetric cross‐effects between locations," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 503-524, August.
    16. Cabaleiro-Cerviño, Goretti & Burcharth, Ana, 2020. "Licensing agreements as signals of innovation: When do they impact market value?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    17. Keld Laursen & Solon Moreira & Toke Reichstein & Maria Isabella Leone, 2017. "Evading the Boomerang Effect: Using the Grant-Back Clause to Further Generative Appropriability from Technology Licensing Deals," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 514-530, June.
    18. Kwon, He-Boong & Lee, Jooh & Choi, Laee, 2022. "Dynamic interplay of operations and R&D capabilities in U.S. high-tech firms: Predictive impact analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    19. Koski, Heli & Svento, Rauli, 2014. "Knowledge Complementarity of a Firm’s Internal and External R&D Capabilities," ETLA Working Papers 25, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    20. Rehman, Naqeeb Ur, 2015. "Does Internal and External R&D Affect SMEs Innovation Performance? Micro Level Evidence from India and Pakistan," EconStor Preprints 113229, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    21. Rehman, Naqeeb Ur, 2016. "Does Internal and External Research and Development Affect Innovation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises? Evidence from India and Pakistan," ADBI Working Papers 577, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    22. Un, C. Annique & Rodríguez, Alicia, 2018. "Learning from R&D outsourcing vs. learning by R&D outsourcing," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 72, pages 24-33.
    23. Ashish Arora & Michelle Gittelman & Sarah Kaplan & John Lynch & Will Mitchell & Nicolaj Siggelkow & Denisa Mindruta & Mahka Moeen & Rajshree Agarwal, 2016. "A two-sided matching approach for partner selection and assessing complementarities in partners' attributes in inter-firm alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(1), pages 206-231, January.
    24. Zhili Tian & Ralph Siebert, 2020. "Dynamic Effects of Licensing and Knowledge Transfer across Research Stages: Evidence from the Pharmaceutical Industry," CESifo Working Paper Series 8311, CESifo.
    25. Maria Garcia-Vega & Oscar Vicente-Chirivella, 2019. "R&D and firm resilience during bad times," Discussion Papers 2019-13, University of Nottingham, GEP.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Manuel Hermosilla, 2021. "Rushed Innovation: Evidence from Drug Licensing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(1), pages 257-278, January.
    2. Nishimura, Junichi & Okada, Yosuke, 2014. "R&D portfolios and pharmaceutical licensing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1250-1263.
    3. Ashish Arora & Andrea Fosfuri & Thomas Roende, 2018. "Waiting for the Payday? The Market for Startups and the Timing of Entrepreneurial Exit," NBER Working Papers 24350, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Ashish Arora & Alfonso Gambardella & Laura Magazzini & Fabio Pammolli, 2009. "A Breath of Fresh Air? Firm Type, Scale, Scope, and Selection Effects in Drug Development," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(10), pages 1638-1653, October.
    5. Margaret K. Kyle & Anita M. McGahan, 2012. "Investments in Pharmaceuticals Before and After TRIPS," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(4), pages 1157-1172, November.
    6. Grimpe, Christoph & Sofka, Wolfgang, 2016. "Complementarities in the search for innovation—Managing markets and relationships," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(10), pages 2036-2053.
    7. Elena Cefis, 2010. "The impact of M&A on technology sourcing strategies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 27-51.
    8. Joshua L. Krieger & Xuelin Li & Richard T. Thakor, 2022. "Find and Replace: R&D Investment Following the Erosion of Existing Products," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(9), pages 6552-6571, September.
    9. Dang, Jianwei & Motohashi, Kazuyuki & Huo, Dong, 2022. "Get Pennies from many or get a Dollar from one? Multiple licensing in markets for technology," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    10. Arora, Ashish & Gambardella, Alfonso, 2010. "The Market for Technology," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 641-678, Elsevier.
    11. Hermosilla, Manuel & Wu, Yufei, 2018. "Market size and innovation: The intermediary role of technology licensing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(5), pages 980-991.
    12. Schmiedeberg, Claudia, 2008. "Complementarities of innovation activities: An empirical analysis of the German manufacturing sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1492-1503, October.
    13. Desyllas, Panos & Hughes, Alan, 2010. "Do high technology acquirers become more innovative?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 1105-1121, October.
    14. Veugelers, Reinhilde & Cassiman, Bruno, 1999. "Make and buy in innovation strategies: evidence from Belgian manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 63-80, January.
    15. Cohen, Wesley M., 2010. "Fifty Years of Empirical Studies of Innovative Activity and Performance," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 129-213, Elsevier.
    16. Figueroa, Nicolás & Serrano, Carlos J., 2019. "Patent trading flows of small and large firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1601-1616.
    17. Scaringella, Laurent & Burtschell, François, 2017. "The challenges of radical innovation in Iran: Knowledge transfer and absorptive capacity highlights — Evidence from a joint venture in the construction sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 151-169.
    18. Zuniga, Pluvia & Crespi, Gustavo, 2013. "Innovation strategies and employment in Latin American firms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 1-17.
    19. Andersson, Martin & Xiao, Jing, 2014. "Acquisitions of Start-ups by Incumbent Businesses A market selection process of “high-quality” entrants?," Papers in Innovation Studies 2014/19, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    20. Veugelers, Reinhilde, 1997. "Internal R & D expenditures and external technology sourcing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 303-315, October.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L24 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Contracting Out; Joint Ventures
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:23:y:2014:i:1:p:125-148. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/research/journals/JEMS/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.