IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/unm/umamer/1999022.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Choosing between internal and non-internal R&D activities: some technological and economic factors

Author

Listed:
  • Narula, Rajneesh

    (MERIT)

Abstract

This paper evaluates some of the technological and economic factors that underlie the choice between in-house R&D, R&D alliances and outsourcing. We recount the reasons for the growth in non-internal activities, and explain why these are not as prevalent for R&D as other value-adding activities, and highlight that outsourcing is most often undertaken where multiple, substitutable sources are available. We then develop two frameworks. First, a static framework is developed, which evaluates the choice of mode based on a firm''s distribution of competencies, and their strategic importance. Second, a dynamic framework is developed that demonstrates how the static framework differs depending on whether the firm is engaged in pre-paradigmatic, paradigmatic or post-paradigmatic sectors. We also consider the effect of new technologies being introduced to a firm''s portfolio of competencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Narula, Rajneesh, 1999. "Choosing between internal and non-internal R&D activities: some technological and economic factors," Research Memorandum 022, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:umamer:1999022
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/rmpdf/removed.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Granstrand, Ove & Sjolander, Soren, 1990. "Managing innovation in multi-technology corporations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 35-60, February.
    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. Hagedoorn, John, 2002. "Inter-firm R&D partnerships: an overview of major trends and patterns since 1960," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 477-492, May.
    2. Martinez-Noya, Andrea & Garcia-Canal, Esteban & Guillen, Mauro F., 2012. "International R&D service outsourcing by technology-intensive firms: Whether and where?," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 18-37.
    3. Andræs Barge-Gil, 2013. "Open Strategies and Innovation Performance," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(7), pages 585-610, October.
    4. 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.
    5. Julian, Birkinshaw & Fey, Carl, 2000. "Organizing for Innovation in Large Firms," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2000:5, Stockholm School of Economics.
    6. Jacques Brook & Albert Plugge, 2011. "Strategic Sourcing of R&D: The Determinants of Success," Working Papers 2011/06, Maastricht School of Management.
    7. Andrés Barge-Gil & Aurelia Modrego, 2011. "The impact of research and technology organizations on firm competitiveness. Measurement and determinants," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 61-83, February.
    8. Rajneesh Narula & Antonello Zanfei, 2003. "Globalisation of Innovation The Role of Multinational Enterprises," DRUID Working Papers 03-15, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.

    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. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    2. Zander, Ivo, 1997. "Technological diversification in the multinational corporation--historical evolution and future prospects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 209-227, May.
    3. Cowan, Robin & Jonard, Nicolas & Zimmermann, J-B, 2004. "Networks as Emergent Structures from Bilateral Collaboration," Research Memorandum 017, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    4. Okubo, Yoshiko & Sjoberg, Cecilia, 2000. "The changing pattern of industrial scientific research collaboration in Sweden," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 81-98, January.
    5. Paola Giuri & John Hagedoorn & Myriam Mariani, 2002. "Technological Diversification and Strategic Alliances," LEM Papers Series 2002/04, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    6. Robin Cowan & Nicolas Jonard & Jean-Benoit Zimmermann, 2007. "Bilateral Collaboration and the Emergence of Innovation Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(7), pages 1051-1067, July.
    7. Miklós Koren & Silvana Tenreyro, 2013. "Technological Diversification," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(1), pages 378-414, February.
    8. Zhang, Jing & Baden-Fuller, Charles & Mangematin, Vincent, 2007. "Technological knowledge base, R&D organization structure and alliance formation: Evidence from the biopharmaceutical industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 515-528, May.
    9. Robin Cowan & Nicolas Jonard, 2007. "Structural holes, innovation and the distribution of ideas," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 2(2), pages 93-110, December.
    10. Qiu, Ranfeng & Cantwell, John, 2018. "General Purpose Technologies and local knowledge accumulation — A study on MNC subunits and local innovation centers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 826-837.
    11. Medcof, John W., 1996. "Challenges in managing technology in transnational multipartner networks," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 47-54.
    12. Cowan, Robin, 2004. "Network models of innovation and knowledge diffusion," Research Memorandum 016, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    13. R. Cowan & N. Jonard & J. -B. Zimmermann, 2007. "Evolving networks of inventors," Springer Books, in: Uwe Cantner & Franco Malerba (ed.), Innovation, Industrial Dynamics and Structural Transformation, pages 129-148, Springer.
    14. Lee, Cheng-Wen, 2007. "Strategic alliances influence on small and medium firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(7), pages 731-741, July.
    15. Rocque, Sarvesh Raj, 2022. "A Multivariate Analysis of Technology and Education in the 21st Century: Antecedents and Determinants," MPRA Paper 115239, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Stephan, Michael, 2007. "Risiken infolge von Technologie-Outsourcing?," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2007-047, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    17. Sandro Mendonca, 2006. "The Revolution Within: Ict And The Shifting Knowledge Base Of The World'S Largest Companies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(8), pages 777-799.
    18. Daniele Archibugi & Roberto Simonetti, 1998. "Objects and Subjects in Technological Interdependence. Towards a Framework to Monitor Innovation," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(3), pages 295-309.
    19. Santangelo, Grazia D., 2000. "Corporate strategic technological partnerships in the European information and communications technology industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1015-1031, December.
    20. Patel, Pari & Pavitt, Keith, 1997. "The technological competencies of the world's largest firms: Complex and path-dependent, but not much variety," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 141-156, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    industrial organization ;

    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:unm:umamer:1999022. 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: Leonne Portz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/meritnl.html .

    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.