The role of technological transfer in the societies based on knowledge economy

The knowledge based economy is an economy based on innovation. Implementing innovation requires acquiring new technology, using the technique of technological transfer. The problems and the timing for implementing an emerging technology are under discussion in this paper.knowledge based economy, innovation, technology transfer, emerging technology

Innovation Performance in Healthcare M&A: An Empirical Analysis

The relationship between mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and innovation in the healthcare sector (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and life sciences) is investigated using a new self-generated dataset of 41 firms. Patents are used as proxy for innovation performance of acquiring firms. This work can also be seen as an extended replication study of Ahuja and Katila (2001) and Cloodt et al. (2006). The extension comprises of newly added variables relatedness of acquirer knowledge and acquisition experience. The findings are consistent with previous research. Non-technological M&A appear to have a negative impact on the acquiring firm’s innovation performance. The absolute size of acquired knowledge has a small positive effect. The relative size of acquired knowledge has a negative effect on the acquiring firm's innovation performance. The relatedness of the target knowledge base has a curvilinear impact on innovative performance. The relatedness of acquirer knowledge has a negative effect on innovation performance. Finally, the effect of previous acquisition experience is ambiguous. The findings of this study indicate that the firms' innovation performance can benefit from M&A by carefully selecting targets that provide the appropriate amount of "innovative" input. Keywords: Mergers & Acquisitions; Innovation; Innovation Performance; Patents; Knowledge based view.The relationship between mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and innovation in the healthcare sector (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and life sciences) is investigated using a new self-generated dataset of 41 firms. Patents are used as proxy for innovation performance of acquiring firms. This work can also be seen as an extended replication study of Ahuja and Katila (2001) and Cloodt et al. (2006). The extension comprises of newly added variables relatedness of acquirer knowledge and acquisition experience. The findings are consistent with previous research. Non-technological M&A appear to have a negative impact on the acquiring firm’s innovation performance. The absolute size of acquired knowledge has a small positive effect. The relative size of acquired knowledge has a negative effect on the acquiring firm's innovation performance. The relatedness of the target knowledge base has a curvilinear impact on innovative performance. The relatedness of acquirer knowledge has a negative effect on innovation performance. Finally, the effect of previous acquisition experience is ambiguous. The findings of this study indicate that the firms' innovation performance can benefit from M&A by carefully selecting targets that provide the appropriate amount of "innovative" input. Keywords: Mergers & Acquisitions; Innovation; Innovation Performance; Patents; Knowledge based view

The regional embeddedness of small manufacturing and service firms: regional networking as knowledge source for innovation?

Information and knowledge are important prerequisites for innovation activity in firms. One important means of acquiring coplementary knowledge are innovation networks. Depending on their absortive capacity and knowledge base, firms develop different abilities to access and utilise external knowledge. These abilities might also be linked to firm size. Although size as such is not a decisive criterion for distinguishing between the innovative performance of firms, it can at least be used to classify firms according to common structural characteristics. It is objective of this paper to analyse whether the size of a firm significantly affects its innovative behaviour and cooperation pattern and whether there are differences between manufacturing firms and business-related service firms. Using data from a regional innovation survey carried out in Germany, we come to the conclusion that for structural firm characteristics, innovation strategies, information use and innovation network size matters. Small manufacturing and service firms mainly behave similar and are more regionally orientated in their market reach and knowledge acquisition than large firms- Especially small firms in intermediate and rural areas strongly depend on regionally available knowledge sources and are therefore discriminated compared to large firms which make a more frequent use of knowledge and information sources from outside the region. --

Research on Framework of Knowledge-Oriented Innovation Risk Management System

Innovation is the inexhaustible motive force for the prosperity of one nation, and also the life source of enterprise. However, the high risks of innovation activities require managers to implement the scientific and effective innovation risk management (IRM). On the basis of a general review of the IRM, this paper integrated theories and methods of knowledge management into the process of risk management, built a framework of knowledge-oriented IRM system, and proposed relevant strategies and references for practical application of knowledge-oriented IRM. By means of acquiring, storing, sharing, and transferring innovation risk knowledge and knowledge innovation, this approach can ensure the knowledge supply for the whole process of innovation operation management and risk management, effectively blocking the evolution and transmission of risks in innovation, and improving the performance of innovation

Innovation outcomes of knowledge-seeking Chinese foreign direct investment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigates how organizational learning, absorptive capacity, cultural integration, specialization of the acquired firm and characteristics of transferred knowledge impact innovation performance subsequent to overseas acquisitions. Design/methodology/approach Survey responses from 222 Chinese multinational enterprises engaged in overseas acquisitions. Findings Differences between acquiring and acquired firms’ capabilities, while having a positive direct influence, suppress the positive impact of organizational learning and absorptive capacity, suggesting that multinationals require some basic level of capabilities to appropriate value from overseas acquisitions. Research limitations/implications This paper investigates the impact of knowledge-seeking overseas acquisition of Chinese multinationals on innovation performance, as this appears to be the primary motive for making such acquisitions. Practical implications Knowledge-seeking overseas acquisition should be based upon the absorptive capacity of the acquiring firm and complementarity between both firms. In knowledge-seeking overseas acquisitions, establishing an effective organizational learning mechanism is necessary for improving innovation performance. Originality/value This paper reports on the behaviour and innovation performance of Chinese multinationals through analysis of primary data

The "potential" face of absorptive capacity. An empirical investigation for an area of 3 European countries

This paper draws on the multi-dimensional characterization of absorptive capacity (AC) to empirically investigate the antecedents and the effects of its "potential" dimension (PAC): i.e., the firm's capacity of acquiring and assimilating external knowledge, as distinguished from its "realized" transformation and exploitation (RAC). Based on a sample of about 10,500 firms for an area of 3 EU countries (Italy, Germany and Spain) we find that the firm's reliance on external knowledge in general increases its PAC, and that this effect is magnified by the internal shocks the firm faces. However, both these effects find relevant exceptions when different kinds of external sources are considered, at different kinds of distance from the absorbing firm. Unexpectedly, social integration mechanisms in the firm makes PAC less, rather than more, inductive of innovation outcomes. On the contrary, the human capital of the firm has a positive moderating role on the PAC effects. A possible trade-off in the exploitation of the externally assimilated knowledge is suggested.absorptive capacity; external knowledge; innovation

What type of innovative firms acquire knowledge intensive services and from which suppliers?

Knowledge intensive services (KIS) and, in particular, R&D services contribute significantly to innovation in firms. The objective of this paper is to find out which characteristics of firms explain the acquisition of R&D services and to analyse whether there are differences depending on the typology of the supplier (universities, technology centres and consulting firms). Three main conclusions emerge from the econometric estimations. Firstly, the results show that size and age matter in the decision to buy R&D services, but these characteristics of firms do not have any particular influence in the decision to choose a specific supplier. Secondly, our results are consistent with the relevance that the literature gives to human capital in absorbing external knowledge. The variables used to control for human skills have a positive effect on the decision to buy R&D services. On the contrary, the estimates of other variables that capture internal knowledge base suggest that there is a substitution process between internal R&D activities and acquiring R&D services. Thirdly, innovation policy has a significant influence on the decision to acquire R&D services.Knowledge intensive services; R&D services; universities; technology centres; consulting firms; innovation policy

Workforce Management to Innovate, as a Driver for Romanian Development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the case of Romanian workforce management as regards the innovation and knowledge transfer from abroad, conducted over twenty years within Romania. Design/approach – As part of this project a large survey is conducted on an annual basis, which aims to track redesigning business processes in terms of workforce management amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with Romanian cultural specificity and the effects of such adoption upon Romanian development. Findings – The paper presents findings from this longitudinal study and discusses these findings in terms of innovation and knowledge transfer and the importance of developing more sophisticated instruments for assessing e-Business maturity amongst SMEs. The research clearly emphasizes the role of adopting an innovative organizational environment as a driver of Romanian development. The initial benefits are take several years for being materialized, after the completion of the first four years of the ten-year project. Originality/value – The importance of the study consists in adding information and acquiring knowledge for the organizations’ benefit, regarding the employment and management of the working force for crating the framework and the environment which encourages innovation in the SMEs. This paper describes the cases of many programs funded by the European Union involved with innovative organizational environment adoption, the transfer of knowledge, the e-Business knowledge to SMEs within major regions. The scope of the research project and its longitudinal nature make the study original. Research limitations/implications – This is a study specific to România.romanian development, Innovation, workforce management, knowledge transfer, small to medium-sized enterprises

Breakthrough innovations: The impact of foreign acquisition of knowledge

Treballs Finals del Màster d'Economia, Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2014-2015, Tutor: Rosina Moreno SerranoBased on the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel, this paper explores the role of R&D off shoring on innovation performance from 2004 to 2012. Specifically, we focus our attention on the impact of different types of off shoring governance models into the profitability of developing a breakthrough innovation. Our study provides evidence that forms developing a breakthrough innovation tend to beneffit more from the external acquisition of knowledge than those engaged on incremental innovations. We also find evidence that acquiring knowledge from forms outside the group is more profitable than in case they do it with forms within the group. Finally, the external acquisition of knowledge tends to present a higher return on breakthrough innovation in the case of taking such knowledge from the business sector and not from universities or research institutions

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 26: The relationship between technology policy and scientific and technical information within the US and Japanese aerospace industries

Government technology policy has nurtured the growth of the aerospace industry which is vital to both the U.S. and Japanese economies. Japanese technology policy differs significantly from U.S. technology policy, however, particularly with respect to the production, transfer, and use of scientific and technical information (STI). In this paper, we discuss the unique position of the aerospace industry in the U.S. and Japan, U.S. and Japanese aerospace policy, and the role of STI in the process of aerospace innovation. The information-seeking behaviors of U.S. and Japanese aerospace engineers and scientists are compared. The authors advocate the development of innovation-adoption technology and STI policy goals for U.S. aerospace and the inclusion of an aerospace knowledge diffusion transfer system with an 'active' component for scanning and acquiring foreign aerospace technology and STI