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Information gathering through alliances

Author

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  • Letterie, Wilko
  • Hagedoorn, John
  • van Kranenburg, Hans
  • Palm, Franz

Abstract

The effect of a firm's uncertainty regarding technological development on the formation of alliances is examined, and it is shown that this uncertainty is positively related to the number of alliances. However, higher uncertainty also makes the firm less likely to ally with others if the collected information is redundant. The higher the similarity between the technological regimes of potential alliance partners, the lower the incentive to ally. Also direct ties are preferred to indirect ones if uncertainty is high since direct ties yield more accurate information than indirect ties.

Suggested Citation

  • Letterie, Wilko & Hagedoorn, John & van Kranenburg, Hans & Palm, Franz, 2008. "Information gathering through alliances," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 176-194, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:66:y:2008:i:2:p:176-194
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    Cited by:

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    3. Carayol, Nicolas & Bergé, Laurent & Cassi, Lorenzo & Roux, Pascale, 2019. "Unintended triadic closure in social networks: The strategic formation of research collaborations between French inventors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 218-238.
    4. Mauro Napoletano & Stefano Battiston & Michael D König & Frank Schweitzer, 2008. "The efficiency and evolution of R&D Networks," Working Papers hal-01066189, HAL.
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    7. Lorenzo Napolitano & Evangelos Evangelou & Emanuele Pugliese & Paolo Zeppini & Graham Room, 2017. "Technology networks: the autocatalytic origins of innovation," Papers 1708.03511, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2018.
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    13. König, Michael D. & Battiston, S. & Napoletano, M. & Schweitzer, F., 2011. "Recombinant knowledge and the evolution of innovation networks," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 79(3), pages 145-164, August.
    14. Hans T. W. Frankort & John Hagedoorn & Wilko Letterie, 2016. "Learning horizon and optimal alliance formation," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 212-236, June.
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    18. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Hottenrott, Hanna, 2012. "Collaborative R&D as a strategy to attenuate financing constraints," ZEW Discussion Papers 12-049, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
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