IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/sbusec/v53y2019i1d10.1007_s11187-018-0062-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge misappropriation risks and contractual complexity in entrepreneurial ventures’ non-equity alliances

Author

Listed:
  • Massimo G. Colombo

    (Politecnico di Milano)

  • Evila Piva

    (Politecnico di Milano)

Abstract

This paper explores the role of anticipated knowledge misappropriation risks in contract design in non-equity alliances involving high-tech entrepreneurial ventures. We argue that these ventures anticipate higher knowledge misappropriation risks, and are, thus, inclined to negotiate more complex contracts, when partner firms have greater ability and incentives to appropriate the ventures' technological knowledge, and knowledge misappropriation is more detrimental to the ventures. In the empirical sections of the paper, we consider 211 dyadic non-equity alliances involving Italian high-tech entrepreneurial ventures, and we examine the relationship between contractual complexity and a series of characteristics of partner firms associated to either higher ability/incentives to appropriate ventures’ knowledge or more negative consequences of misappropriation.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimo G. Colombo & Evila Piva, 2019. "Knowledge misappropriation risks and contractual complexity in entrepreneurial ventures’ non-equity alliances," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 107-127, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:53:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11187-018-0062-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-018-0062-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11187-018-0062-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11187-018-0062-0?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce Kogut, 1988. "Joint ventures: Theoretical and empirical perspectives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(4), pages 319-332, July.
    2. Malhotra, Deepak & Lumineau, Fabrice, 2011. "Trust and collaboration in the aftermath of conflict: the effects of contract structure," MPRA Paper 38358, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Jeffrey J. Reuer & Africa Ariño, 2007. "Strategic alliance contracts: dimensions and determinants of contractual complexity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 313-330, March.
    4. Gary Dushnitsky & J. Myles Shaver, 2009. "Limitations to interorganizational knowledge acquisition: the paradox of corporate venture capital," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(10), pages 1045-1064, October.
    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. Weijan Shan & Gordon Walker & Bruce Kogut, 1994. "Interfirm cooperation and startup innovation in the biotechnology industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(5), pages 387-394, June.
    7. Jaffe, Adam B, 1986. "Technological Opportunity and Spillovers of R&D: Evidence from Firms' Patents, Profits, and Market Value," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(5), pages 984-1001, December.
    8. Deeds, David L. & Hill, Charles W. L., 1996. "Strategic alliances and the rate of new product development: An empirical study of entrepreneurial biotechnology firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 41-55, January.
    9. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2009. "Cultural Biases in Economic Exchange?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(3), pages 1095-1131.
    10. Cassiman, Bruno & Colombo, Massimo G. & Garrone, Paola & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2005. "The impact of M&A on the R&D process: An empirical analysis of the role of technological- and market-relatedness," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 195-220, March.
    11. Klein, Benjamin & Crawford, Robert G & Alchian, Armen A, 1978. "Vertical Integration, Appropriable Rents, and the Competitive Contracting Process," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(2), pages 297-326, October.
    12. Glenn Hoetker & Thomas Mellewigt, 2009. "Choice and performance of governance mechanisms: matching alliance governance to asset type," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(10), pages 1025-1044, October.
    13. Richard A. Bettis & Constance E. Helfat & J. Myles Shaver & Massimo G. Colombo & Kourosh Shafi, 2016. "Swimming with sharks in Europe: When are they dangerous and what can new ventures do to defend themselves?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(11), pages 2307-2322, November.
    14. Massimo G. Colombo, 2003. "Alliance form: a test of the contractual and competence perspectives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(12), pages 1209-1229, December.
    15. Colombo, Massimo G. & Grilli, Luca & Piva, Evila, 2006. "In search of complementary assets: The determinants of alliance formation of high-tech start-ups," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1166-1199, October.
    16. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Claudia Bird Schoonhoven, 1996. "Resource-based View of Strategic Alliance Formation: Strategic and Social Effects in Entrepreneurial Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 136-150, April.
    17. Reuer, Jeffrey J. & Arino, Africa & Mellewigt, Thomas, 2006. "Entrepreneurial alliances as contractual forms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 306-325, May.
    18. Josh Lerner & Ulrike Malmendier, 2010. "Contractibility and the Design of Research Agreements," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(1), pages 214-246, March.
    19. Joskow, Paul L, 1987. "Contract Duration and Relationship-Specific Investments: Empirical Evidence from Coal Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(1), pages 168-185, March.
    20. Oxley, Joanne E., 1999. "Institutional environment and the mechanisms of governance: the impact of intellectual property protection on the structure of inter-firm alliances," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 283-309, March.
    21. Peter J. Lane & Michael Lubatkin, 1998. "Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning," Post-Print hal-02311860, HAL.
    22. Luis Diestre & Nandini Rajagopalan, 2012. "Are all ‘sharks’ dangerous? new biotechnology ventures and partner selection in R&D alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(10), pages 1115-1134, October.
    23. Joanne E. Oxley & Rachelle C. Sampson, 2004. "The scope and governance of international R&D alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8‐9), pages 723-749, August.
    24. Daniel W. Elfenbein & Josh Lerner, 2012. "Exclusivity, Contingent Control Rights, and the Design of Internet Portal Alliances," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(1), pages 45-76.
    25. Valérie Duplat & Fabrice Lumineau, 2016. "Third Parties and Contract Design: The Case of Contracts for Technology Transfer," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(6), pages 424-444, September.
    26. Park, Walter G., 2008. "International patent protection: 1960-2005," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 761-766, May.
    27. Thomas Mellewigt & Anoop Madhok & Antoinette Weibel, 2007. "Trust and formal contracts in interorganizational relationships - substitutes and complements," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(8), pages 833-847.
    28. Bernard Garrette & Pierre Dussauge & Will Mitchell, 2000. "Learning from competing partners: outcomes and durations of scale and link alliances in Europe, North America and Asia," Post-Print hal-00458812, HAL.
    29. Frank T. Rothaermel & David L. Deeds, 2004. "Exploration and exploitation alliances in biotechnology: a system of new product development," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 201-221, March.
    30. David T. Robinson & Toby E. Stuart, 2007. "Financial Contracting in Biotech Strategic Alliances," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 50(3), pages 559-596.
    31. Oxley, Joanne E, 1997. "Appropriability Hazards and Governance in Strategic Alliances: A Transaction Cost Approach," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 387-409, October.
    32. Rachelle C. Sampson, 2004. "The Cost of Misaligned Governance in R&D Alliances," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 484-526, October.
    33. Pierre Dussauge & Bernard Garrette & Will Mitchell, 2000. "Learning from competing partners: outcomes and durations of scale and link alliances in Europe, North America and Asia," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(2), pages 99-126, February.
    34. Colombo, Massimo G. & Rabbiosi, Larissa, 2014. "Technological similarity, post-acquisition R&D reorganization, and innovation performance in horizontal acquisitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(6), pages 1039-1054.
    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. Runping Guo & Xingqun Lv & Yuan Wang & Peggy E. Chaudhry & Sohail S. Chaudhry, 2020. "Decision‐making logics and high‐tech entrepreneurial opportunity identification: The mediating role of strategic knowledge integration," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 719-733, July.
    2. Xie, Qiuhao & Gao, Ying & Xia, Nini & Zhang, Shuibo & Tao, Guowu, 2023. "Coopetition and organizational performance outcomes: A meta-analysis of the main and moderator effects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Colombo, Massimo G. & Foss, Nicolai J. & Lyngsie, Jacob & Rossi Lamastra, Cristina, 2021. "What drives the delegation of innovation decisions? The roles of firm innovation strategy and the nature of external knowledge," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).

    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. Stienstra, Miranda, 2020. "The determinants and performance implications of alliance partner acquisition," Other publications TiSEM 7fdee0c2-d4d2-4f5b-95e3-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Jeffrey J. Reuer & Ramakrishna Devarakonda, 2017. "Partner Selection in R&D Collaborations: Effects of Affiliations with Venture Capitalists," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 574-595, June.
    3. Reuer, Jeffrey & Devarakonda, S.V., 2015. "Mechanisms of hybrid governance : Administrative committees in non-equity alliances," Other publications TiSEM 063d9ccc-59c8-4e76-a77d-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    4. Devarakonda, Ramakrishna & Reuer, Jeffrey J. & Tadikonda, Harsha, 2022. "Founder social capital and value appropriation in R&D alliance agreements," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(4).
    5. Müller, Dirk, 2010. "Alliance Coordination, Dysfunctions, and the Protection of Idiosyncratic Knowledge in Strategic Learning Alliances," EconStor Preprints 41039, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    6. Shantala Samant & Jongwook Kim, 2021. "Determinants of common benefits and private benefits in innovation alliances," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 294-307, March.
    7. Li, Dan, 2013. "Multilateral R&D alliances by new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 241-260.
    8. Colombo, Massimo G. & Grilli, Luca & Piva, Evila, 2006. "In search of complementary assets: The determinants of alliance formation of high-tech start-ups," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1166-1199, October.
    9. Garcia-Canal, Esteban & Valdes-Llaneza, Ana & Sanchez-Lorda, Pablo, 2008. "Technological flows and choice of joint ventures in technology alliances," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 97-114, February.
    10. Jongkuk Lee & Glenn Hoetker & William Qualls, 2015. "Alliance Experience and Governance Flexibility," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(5), pages 1536-1551, October.
    11. Massimo Colombo & Liliana Doganova & Evila Piva & Diego D’Adda & Philippe Mustar, 2015. "Hybrid alliances and radical innovation: the performance implications of integrating exploration and exploitation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 696-722, August.
    12. Lee, Cheng-Yu & Wang, Ming-Chao & Huang, Yen-Chih, 2015. "The double-edged sword of technological diversity in R&D alliances: Network position and learning speed as moderators," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 450-461.
    13. Haeussler, Carolin & Patzelt, Holger & Zahra, Shaker A., 2012. "Strategic alliances and product development in high technology new firms: The moderating effect of technological capabilities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 217-233.
    14. Oh, Yoojin & Yoo, Nina, 2022. "Effective cooperation modes based on cultural and market similarities in interfirm relationships," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1).
    15. Joanne Oxley & Tetsuo Wada, 2009. "Alliance Structure and the Scope of Knowledge Transfer: Evidence from U.S.-Japan Agreements," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(4), pages 635-649, April.
    16. Krammer, Sorin M.S., 2016. "The role of diversification profiles and dyadic characteristics in the formation of technological alliances: Differences between exploitation and exploration in a low-tech industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 517-532.
    17. Duplat, Valérie & Coeurderoy, Régis & Hagedoorn, John, 2018. "Contractual governance and the choice of dispute-resolution mechanisms: Evidence on technology licensing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1096-1110.
    18. Agarwal, Rajshree & Croson, Rachel & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2007. "Decision Making in Strategic Alliances: An Experimental Investigation," Working Papers 07-0108, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    19. Dan Li & Lorraine Eden & Michael A. Hitt & R. Duane Ireland & Robert P. Garrett, 2012. "Governance in Multilateral R&D Alliances," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 1191-1210, August.
    20. KANI Masayo & MOTOHASHI Kazuyuki, 2016. "Understanding External Technology Sourcing in New Product Development Projects: Bilateral vs. unilateral contracts," Discussion papers 16104, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Alliances; Contractual complexity; Entrepreneurial ventures; Knowledge misappropriation risks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

    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:kap:sbusec:v:53:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11187-018-0062-0. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.