Collaborating to Compete: A Search into Capabilities and Strategic Alliances in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Athough there is a profusion of studies related to strategic alliances and technological capacities which evaluate the issues individually, there is a scarcity of studies with empirical evidence relative to the implications of strategic alliances at the technological capacity configuration. Drawing on a scrutiny of specialised databases (Galé, Dialog, and Business & Industry) covering the 1993-2003 period, this article examines the entry and exit composition of innovative capabilities of 25 pharmaceutical companies’ capabilities involved in such alliances. They are organised in three groups: (i) large pharmaceutical companies (‘big-pharma’); (ii) large bio-pharmaceutical companies (‘bio-pharma’); and (iii) small and research-intensive companies. In terms of strategic alliance implications, a change was observed on the technological capacities’ configuration. The evidence suggests that the criteria for partner choice and technological capacity depend on the objectives and needs of each different group of company. Such type of evidence is important to provide researchers, corporate managers, and policy-makers with a concrete notion of the extent to which such division of innovative labour occurs and the actual changes going on the structure and organisation of innovative activities in the pharmaceutical industry.Titulo: Colaborando para Competir: Búsqueda Dentro de las Capacidades y Alianzas Estratégicas en la Industria Farmacéutica Pese a la existencia de muchos estudios relacionados a las evaluaciones individuales de las alianzas estratégicas y las capacidades tecnológicas, hay escasez de estudios con evidencia empírica relacionados con las implicaciones de las alianzas estratégicas en la configuración de las capacidades tecnológicas. Este artículo organiza un escrutinio de bases de datos (Galé, Dialog, and Business & Industry) entre los años del período 1993-2003, examinando la composición de entrada y salida de las capacidades innovativas de 25 compañías farmacéuticas involucradas en dichas alianzas. Las cuales se organizan en tres grupos (i)¨grandes compañías (grandes farmacéuticas); (ii)grandes compañías bio-farmacéuticas (bio-farma); y (iii) pequeñas compañías y compañías de investigación intensiva. En términos de las implicaciones de las alianzas estratégicas, se observa un cambio en la configuración de las capacidades tecnológicas. La evidencia sugiere que el criterio de para la elección de socios y de las capacidades tecnológicas depende de los objetivos y necesidades de los diversos grupos de compañías. Cada tipo de evidencia es de importancia para proveer a los investigadores, a los gerentes corporativos y los gestores con una noción concreta del grado de de importancia de cada división en las labores innovativas desarrolladas y en los cambio reales que se llevan a cabo en la estructura y la organización de las actividades innovativas en la industria farmacéutica .Athough there is a profusion of studies related to strategic alliances and technological capacities which evaluate the issues individually, there is a scarcity of studies with empirical evidence relative to the implications of strategic alliances at the technological capacity configuration. Drawing on a scrutiny of specialised databases (Galé, Dialog, and Business & Industry) covering the 1993-2003 period, this article examines the entry and exit composition of innovative capabilities of 25 pharmaceutical companies’ capabilities involved in such alliances. They are organised in three groups: (i) large pharmaceutical companies (‘big-pharma’); (ii) large bio-pharmaceutical companies (‘bio-pharma’); and (iii) small and research-intensive companies. In terms of strategic alliance implications, a change was observed on the technological capacities’ configuration. The evidence suggests that the criteria for partner choice and technological capacity depend on the objectives and needs of each different group of company. Such type of evidence is important to provide researchers, corporate managers, and policy-makers with a concrete notion of the extent to which such division of innovative labour occurs and the actual changes going on the structure and organisation of innovative activities in the pharmaceutical industry

Variability in Micro-level Innovation Performance in Natural Resource-processing Industries

This paper explores the relationship between micro-level innovation performance, changes in institutional frameworks and the mediating role of strategy embeddedness in the context of firms from emerging economies (known as latecomer firms). The paper is based on a multiple case-study design that draws on first-hand longitudinal evidence gathered during a three-year fieldwork campaign centered on 13 firms from the forestry, pulp and paper industries in Brazil (1950-2009). The results suggest that variability in the firms‟ innovation performance, proxied as capability levels, across changing institutional frameworks was mediated by degrees of strategy embeddedness. Specifically, the following applied to firms that pursued proactive strategy embeddedness: (i) their innovation performance was significantly higher over time than firms that pursued active and/or reactive strategy embeddedness; (ii) they faced whatever discontinuities with progressively higher levels of innovation performance than firms that pursued an active and/or reactive strategy embeddedness; (iii) they sought to shape their institutional frameworks to overcome hurdles inherent to their latecomer condition and negotiate their transitions into world-leading technological and commercial positions. Although macro- and meso-level institutional frameworks are necessary for industrial growth, innovation and competitiveness, these achievements largely depend on the nature and dynamics of firms‟ own strategic choices and related innovation efforts. Policymaking should therefore involve coordinated efforts between government and firms. Based on a novel theoretical framework and rich empirical assessment, this paper contributes to advancing our understanding of factors affecting the innovation performance of latecomer firms, especially in natural-resource processing industries

COMPETÊNCIAS TÉCNICO-ORGANIZACIONAIS E ESTRATÉGIA ORGANIZACIONAL: EVIDÊNCIAS DE ORGANIZAÇÕES NÃO GOVERNAMENTAIS

Although there is a vast literature about the implications of the technical-organizational capabilities for the organizations’ performance, several of these are concentrated in the industrial environment. At the same time, there aren’t many studies about these capabilities in nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This article examines the implications of the technical-organizational capabilities for the improvement of NGOs’ performance under the perspective of strategy based in dynamic capabilities. The research does use firsthand empirical evidences collected on fieldwork and examined at the light of a framework that identifies nine dimensions of technical-organizational capabilities. The study found that the NGOs that do explicit efforts for the improvement of these dimensions, present better indicators of performance. Therefore the perspective of dynamic capabilities also showed itself strongly viable to explain differences of performance in these types of organizations.Muito embora haja uma vasta literatura sobre as implicações das competências técnico-organizacionais para o desempenho de organizações, vários destes estão concentrados no ambiente industrial. Ao mesmo tempo, não existem muitos estudos sobre estas competências em organizações não governamentais (ONGs). Este artigo examina as implicações da competência técnico-organizacional para o aprimoramento de desempenho de ONGs sob a perspectiva de estratégia baseada em competências dinâmicas. A pesquisa faz uso de evidências empíricas de primeira mão colhidas à base de trabalho de campo e examinadas a luz de um modelo que identifica nove dimensões de competências técnico-organizacionais. O estudo encontrou que as ONGs que fazem esforços explícitos para o aprimoramento destas dimensões, apresentam melhores indicadores de desempenho. Portanto a perspectiva de competências dinâmicas mostrou-se fortemente viável para explicar diferenças de desempenho também neste tipo de organizações

DYNAMIC OF TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY ACCUMULATION AND INNOVATION IN SUBSIDIARIES OF TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS (TNCS): THE TRAJECTORY OF MOTOROLA BRAZIL

Embora exista uma ampla quantidade de estudos sobre capacidades tecnológicas tanto no contexto de economias industrializadas como no de economias emergentes, ainda há uma carência de estudos que examinem a dinâmica (velocidade) do processo de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas, especialmente no contexto de subsidiárias de empresas transnacionais (ETNs) em economias emergentes como o Brasil. Consequentemente, o conhecimento sobre esse fenômeno tende a ser ainda superficial e escasso. Este artigo objetiva contribuir para o campo de estudo sobre acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas, particularmente para inovação, em subsidiárias de ETNs. Baseando-se em evidências empíricas de primeira mão, coletadas a partir de extensivo trabalho de campo, o estudo subjacente a este artigo examina a direção e velocidade da acumulação de capacidade tecnológica na Motorola Brasil durante o período de 1996 a 2006. O estudo encontrou que, ao longo de dez anos, a empresa moveu-se através de níveis inovadores de capacidades até atingir níveis próximos à fronteira internacional de inovação, especialmente para as funções gestão de projetos e engenharia e processos de software. Por isso, uma perspectiva dinâmica sobre o desenvolvimento tecnológico em nível de empresas e à luz de mensurações compreensivas de capacidades tecnológicas, alinhadas ao contexto de economias emergentes, capta a realidade e as nuanças do processo de inovação em empresas de setores industriais específicos. Especificamente, os resultados aqui se alinham a estudos anteriores que têm encontrado um comportamento tecnológico pró-ativo e inovador de subsidiárias de ETNs em economias emergentes. Tais evidências são importantes para iluminar estratégias de inovação em nível de empresas, governos e bancos de investimentos.Although there have been several studies on firm-level technological capabilities both in the context of industrialized and emerging economies, there still is a scarcity of studies that examine the dynamics (speed) of the process of technological capability building, especially in the context of subsidiaries of TNCs in the context of emerging economies. Consequently, knowledge about this phenomenon tends to be shallow and scarce. The study underlying this paper seeks to contribute to furthering the understanding of the process of capability accumulation, especially for innovation, within subsidiaries of ETNs. Drawing on first-hand empirical evidence gathered through extensive fieldwork, this study underlying this paper examines the direction and speed of technological capability accumulation within Motorola Brazil during the 1996-2006 period. The study found that, over this ten-year period, this case-study company moved through levels of innovative capability building up to the level near the international innovation frontier, especially for functions such as „project management? and „processes and software engineering?. Thus, a dynamic perspective on firm-level technological development based on comprehensive measurements lined up with the context of emerging economies, captures the reality and the nuances of the innovation process in firms of specific industrial sectors. Specifically, the results here are in line with previous studies that have found a pro-active and innovative technological behavior in TNC-subsidiaries in emerging economies. Such type of evidence is important to illuminate innovation strategies at the level of firms, governments and investment banks

Technological learning and the accumulation of innovation capabilities: evidence from contract manufacturers in Brazil

A pesar de la profusión de estudios sobre aprendizaje como fuente de construcción de competencias tecnológicas en empresas, en general se ha observado dicha relación desde el punto de vista intraempresarial. En este artículo se examina el papel de los flujos interempresariales de conocimiento en la construcción de capacidades de producción y de innovación en filiales de empresas multinacionales del sector de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en Brasil, en el período 1996-2007. Con base en evidencias de primera mano, recogidas por medio de trabajo de campo, se comprobó en el estudio que las empresas investigadas se involucraron los últimos diez años en un proceso de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas. Sin embargo, se encontró un alto grado de variabilidad entre las empresas en términos de la profundización de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas, para actividades de producción y de innovación. Gran parte de esa variabilidad es explicada por la naturaleza e intensidad de los procesos interempresariales de aprendizaje desarrollados por las empresas. Este artículo, por tanto, contribuye al entendimiento del proceso de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas en filiales de empresas multinacionales, en economías emergentes. El artículo también contradice generalizaciones comunes que atribuyen a ese tipo de empresa un papel pasivo, en términos de actividades tecnológicas, en el contexto de economías emergentes.A despeito da profusão de estudos sobre aprendizagem como fonte de construção de competências tecnológicas em empresas, a maioria tem examinado esse relacionamento pela perspectiva intraempresarial. Neste artigo, examina-se o papel dos fluxos interempresariais de conhecimento na construção de capacidades de produção e de inovação em empresas subsidiárias de multinacionais do setor de tecnologias de informação e de comunicação (TICs) do Brasil, no período de 1996 a 2007. Baseando-se em evidências de primeira mão, colhidas por meio de trabalho de campo, constatou-se que as empresas pesquisadas se engajaram ativamente nos últimos dez anos em um processo de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas. Porém, encontrou-se no estudo alto grau de variabilidade entre as empresas estudadas, em termos da profundidade de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas para atividades de produção e de inovação. Grande parte dessa variabilidade é explicada pela natureza e pela intensidade dos processos interempresariais de aprendizagem desenvolvidos pelas empresas. Este artigo contribui, portanto, para avançar no entendimento do processo de acumulação tecnológica em subsidiárias de empresas multinacionais em um contexto de economia emergente. Também contradiz generalizações comuns que atribuem a esse tipo de empresa um papel passivo quanto às atividades tecnológicas no contexto de economias emergentes.Despite the profusion of studies on learning as a means of building technological competence in firms, most have examined this relationship from an intra-firm perspective. This article examines the role of cross-firm knowledge flows to build production capacity and innovation in the subsidiaries of multinationals in the sector of information technology and communication (ITC) in Brazil, from 1996 to 2007. Based on first-hand evidence obtained in fieldwork, the study found that, for the last ten years, the companies surveyed have actively engaged in accumulating technological capabilities. However, the study also identified a high degree of variability across companies in terms of the depth of their technological capability accumulation. A substantial part of this variability can be explained by the role of crossorganizational learning processes. This article, therefore, helps to further our understanding of the process of technological accumulation in subsidiaries of multinationals in emerging economies. The study also contradicts common generalizations, according to which this kind of company plays a passive role in emerging economies when it comes to technological activities

Technological learning and the accumulation of innovation capabilities: evidence from contract manufacturers in Brazil

A pesar de la profusión de estudios sobre aprendizaje como fuente de construcción de competencias tecnológicas en empresas, en general se ha observado dicha relación desde el punto de vista intraempresarial. En este artículo se examina el papel de los flujos interempresariales de conocimiento en la construcción de capacidades de producción y de innovación en filiales de empresas multinacionales del sector de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en Brasil, en el período 1996-2007. Con base en evidencias de primera mano, recogidas por medio de trabajo de campo, se comprobó en el estudio que las empresas investigadas se involucraron los últimos diez años en un proceso de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas. Sin embargo, se encontró un alto grado de variabilidad entre las empresas en términos de la profundización de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas, para actividades de producción y de innovación. Gran parte de esa variabilidad es explicada por la naturaleza e intensidad de los procesos interempresariales de aprendizaje desarrollados por las empresas. Este artículo, por tanto, contribuye al entendimiento del proceso de acumulación de capacidades tecnológicas en filiales de empresas multinacionales, en economías emergentes. El artículo también contradice generalizaciones comunes que atribuyen a ese tipo de empresa un papel pasivo, en términos de actividades tecnológicas, en el contexto de economías emergentes.A despeito da profusão de estudos sobre aprendizagem como fonte de construção de competências tecnológicas em empresas, a maioria tem examinado esse relacionamento pela perspectiva intraempresarial. Neste artigo, examina-se o papel dos fluxos interempresariais de conhecimento na construção de capacidades de produção e de inovação em empresas subsidiárias de multinacionais do setor de tecnologias de informação e de comunicação (TICs) do Brasil, no período de 1996 a 2007. Baseando-se em evidências de primeira mão, colhidas por meio de trabalho de campo, constatou-se que as empresas pesquisadas se engajaram ativamente nos últimos dez anos em um processo de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas. Porém, encontrou-se no estudo alto grau de variabilidade entre as empresas estudadas, em termos da profundidade de acumulação de capacidades tecnológicas para atividades de produção e de inovação. Grande parte dessa variabilidade é explicada pela natureza e pela intensidade dos processos interempresariais de aprendizagem desenvolvidos pelas empresas. Este artigo contribui, portanto, para avançar no entendimento do processo de acumulação tecnológica em subsidiárias de empresas multinacionais em um contexto de economia emergente. Também contradiz generalizações comuns que atribuem a esse tipo de empresa um papel passivo quanto às atividades tecnológicas no contexto de economias emergentes.Despite the profusion of studies on learning as a means of building technological competence in firms, most have examined this relationship from an intra-firm perspective. This article examines the role of cross-firm knowledge flows to build production capacity and innovation in the subsidiaries of multinationals in the sector of information technology and communication (ITC) in Brazil, from 1996 to 2007. Based on first-hand evidence obtained in fieldwork, the study found that, for the last ten years, the companies surveyed have actively engaged in accumulating technological capabilities. However, the study also identified a high degree of variability across companies in terms of the depth of their technological capability accumulation. A substantial part of this variability can be explained by the role of crossorganizational learning processes. This article, therefore, helps to further our understanding of the process of technological accumulation in subsidiaries of multinationals in emerging economies. The study also contradicts common generalizations, according to which this kind of company plays a passive role in emerging economies when it comes to technological activities

Sectoral resilience through learning in networks and GVCs: A historical perspective on the food-processing and clothing industries in Poland

This paper investigates how inter-organizational learning in networks and global value chains (GVCs) has contributed to resilience in Poland's food processing and clothing industries. The Polish economy has been widely accepted as resilient since Poland's transition from a planned to a market economy. Through drawing on the regional resilience literature, this paper develops a network-oriented framework of sectoral resilience that integrates network evolution, inter-organizational learning in networks, and the role of history. It uses unique primary data from the period of Poland's abovementioned transition (1989–2001), which is complemented with secondary data on the networking activities of Polish firms in the two abovementioned sectors between 2004 and 2018. In turn, the firms' interactive learning is found to function as an important contributor to their path-dependent network trajectories and resilience. Moreover, knowledge networks and GVCs present different dynamics in terms of their effects on learning and result in uneven sectoral resilience. Learning from knowledge spillovers and by interacting with the co-existence of adaptation- and adaptability-related network characteristics has guided both the studied sectors towards developing short-term adaptive capacity for path-extension and sustainability. Learning from advanced science and technology (S&T) and education regarding exclusive adaptability-related network characteristics has driven Poland's food-processing industry's path-evolving long-term capability to be fully resilient

Simultaneous Separation of Antioxidants and Carbohydrates From Food Wastes Using Aqueous Biphasic Systems Formed by Cholinium-Derived Ionic Liquids

project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UID/CTM/50011/2019. Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry-LAQV, FCT Ref. UID/QUI/50006/2019. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403. Investigator FCT project IF/00621/2015. Programa Mais Centro under project CENTRO-07-ST24-FEDER-002008. COMPETE: PEst-C/SAU/UI0709/2011.The food industry produces significant amounts of waste, many of them rich in valuable compounds that could be recovered and reused in the framework of circular economy. The development of sustainable and cost-effective technologies to recover these value added compounds will contribute to a significant decrease of the environmental footprint and economic burden of this industry sector. Accordingly, in this work, aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) composed of cholinium-derived bistriflimide ionic liquids (ILs) and carbohydrates were investigated as an alternative process to simultaneously separate and recover antioxidants and carbohydrates from food waste. Aiming at improving the biocompatible character of the studied ILs and proposed process, cholinium-derived bistriflimide ILs were chosen, which were properly designed by playing with the cation alkyl side chain and the number of functional groups attached to the cation to be able to create ABS with carbohydrates. These ILs were characterized by cytotoxicity assays toward human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2 cell line), demonstrating to have a significantly lower toxicity than other well-known and commonly used fluorinated ILs. The capability of these ILs to form ABS with a series of carbohydrates, namely monosaccharides, disaccharides and polyols, was then appraised by the determination of the respective ternary liquid-liquid phase diagrams at 25 degrees C. The studied ABS were finally used to separate carbohydrates and antioxidants from real food waste samples, using an expired vanilla pudding as an example. With the studied systems, the separation of the two products occurs in one-step, where carbohydrates are enriched in the carbohydrate-rich phase and antioxidants are mainly present in the IL-rich phase. Extraction efficiencies of carbohydrates ranging between 89 and 92% to the carbohydrate-rich phase, and antioxidant relative activities ranging between 65 and 75% in the IL-rich phase were obtained. Furthermore, antioxidants from the IL-rich phase were recovered by solid-phase extraction, and the IL was recycled for two more times with no losses on the ABS separation performance. Overall, the obtained results show that the investigated ABS are promising platforms to simultaneously separate carbohydrates and antioxidants from real food waste samples, and could be used in further related applications foreseeing industrial food waste valorization.publishersversionpublishe