225 research outputs found
Building innovation networks: the process of partner selection by young knowledge intensive firms
This paper addresses the selection of partners in innovation networks. It builds on the existing literature to develop an integrative framework that encompasses the main factors identified as influencing selection of partners by young knowledge-intensive firms. It considers that both persistence and novelty are present in the network building process, and so integrates several explanations advanced by the literature: social capital, imprinting and inertia for tie persistence; network embeddedness and proximity for new tie selection.
Using a rare event logit model, we estimate the likelihood of selecting an innovation partner using data about the partnerships established by young Portuguese biotechnology firms, purposefully collected through questionnaire-based face-to-face interviews, complemented with documentary information. The results uncover different network building strategies in terms of partner selection to access the different types of resource needed for innovation and highlight the advantages of adopting an integrated framework.FC
Research-based spin-offs as agents of knowledge dissemination: Evidence from the analysis of innovation networks
The paper addresses the role played by research-based spin-offs (RBSOs) as knowledge dissemination
mechanisms, through their position in knowledge networks. For this purpose the paper analyses the formal
networks established by Portuguese RBSOs, in the context of publicly funded research, technology and precommercial product development projects, and investigates their configuration along two levels. At
organisational level, in order to understand whether RBSOs extend their reach beyond the academic sphere;
and if they do, whether they connect to organisations located downstream in the knowledge value chain, and
which is their position in networks involving both research organisations and other firms. At spatial level, in
order to understand whether RBSOs extend their reach beyond the region where they are created, thus
potentially acting as connectors between diverse regions. The analysis starts from the population of RBSOs
created in Portugal until 2007 (327 firms) and identifies those that have established formal technological
relationships, as part of projects funded by all the relevant programmes launched in the period 1993-2012. As
a result, the analysis encompasses 192 collaborative projects and involves 82 spin-offs and 281 partners, of
which only 20% are research organisations, the remaining being other firms and a variety of other
downstream organisations. The results, although still preliminary, provide some insights into the knowledge
networking behaviour of the RBSOs. As expected, research organisations are a central actor in spin-offs’
networks, being the sole partner for some of them. But half of the RBSOs have moved beyond the academic
sphere, being frequently a central element in tripartite technological relationships between research and other
organisations, and occupying an intermediation position in the network, thus potentially acting as facilitators
in knowledge circulation and transformation. Also as expected, RBSOs are predominantly located in the main
metropolitan areas and tend to relate with organisations similarly located. But while geographical proximity
emerges as important in the choice of partners, in about half of the cases, RBSOs knowledge networks have
extended beyond regional boundaries. Given their central position in the network, this suggests a role as
connectors across regions that will be explored in subsequent research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Knowledge access and location decisions in biotechnology: the spatial dimension of social networks
DINĂ‚MIA'CET, Dezembro de 2009.This paper addresses the spatial dimension of knowledge sourcing strategies, investigating the role played by social networks on the access to scientific and technological knowledge by new
biotechnology firms. Our approach takes into consideration the impact of various forms of
proximity - geographical, social, cognitive and organisational - on the development of key relationships, as well as on their use for knowledge acquisition. It enables us to assess the
relative importance of local and distant knowledge sources and to explain the entrepreneurs’ decisions in terms of network mobilisation.FC
Inter-industrial relationships driving the blue economy industrial transformation
The “Blue Economy” is considered one of the drivers of European growth, based on the development of new competences and activities that enable a sustainable exploitation of ocean resources (EC, 2021; Howard, 2018). Strategies and policies were formulated, both at the UE and national levels, to address “Blue growth”, combining industrial growth objectives with sustainability concerns. These strategies have targeted a broad variety of actors engaged in ocean-related activities, namely companies from established and new industries, and have promoted the development of new transversal technologies through the support of research and innovation (Sousa et al, 2020; EC, 2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Entry strategies in the face of incumbents dominant position: the case of advanced renewable energy technologies
The paper discusses the entry strategies adopted by research-based firms introducing
advanced renewable energy technologies in the electricity production sector, which
combines strong incumbent power with fast technological change. Drawing on
contributions from the literatures on sustainability transitions and on strategic
management of technology we build an analytical framework to address the conditions
faced by the new entrants and the attitude of established incumbents towards their
technologies. This framework is applied through in-depth case studies of new firms in
two energy fields that display different levels of technological maturity: wind and wave
energy. The paper presents preliminary results from a first set of case studies, which
provide some insights into the “commercialisation environment” prevailing in those
fields. They suggest that research-based firms tend to depend on the complementary
assets possessed by incumbents, but have conditions to protect their technologies; and
that the technology is relevant for (at least some) incumbents, which show interest on
them, or are directly involved in their development/use. This is, in most cases,
conducive to “cooperation” strategies, which assume different forms according to the
stage of development of the technology and its proximity to incumbent competences
and business modelsFCT
QREN – Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors, the European Union – European Regional Development Fund and National Funds
Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under Project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-011377, Project PEst-C/EGE/UI4105/2011 and Project Project Pest-OE/EME/UI0252/2011
INESC Coimbr
Understanding the topologies of innovation networks in knowledge-intensive sectors
The main goal of this paper is to compare the networks mobilised by young entrepreneurial firms from two knowledge intensive sectors – molecular biotechnology and software for telecommunications – to access resources required for innovation. Such a comparison allows similarities and differences between networks to be identified and explained.
The analysis focuses on formal and informal networks and on the relevant types of resources. It applies a methodology that draws on a vast array of data to capture the nature and content of a broad range of relationships developed by the firms in their innovative process. The results show that networks are quite contrasted in and across the two sectors, due both to the specificity of the resources searched for and the mode of organisation of the sectors. Furthermore, the results shed light on the specificities of formal versus informal networks. Finally, they provide novel insights into the organisation and dynamics of the sectors, taking into account both the characteristics and strategies of the firms and the specificity of the environment in the Portuguese case. The approach provides tools to study the innovative process in knowledge intensive sectors which may be applied to different national and sectoral contexts.FC
Building a bridge: social networks and technological regimes in biotechnology and software
The paper investigates the influence of technological regimes on the composition and structure of firms’ knowledge networks. We combine insights from two hitherto unconnected bodies of research: one relating technological regimes with the nature of knowledge; and the other relating knowledge and types of innovation with network configuration. Drawing on this framework, we build a number of propositions on the relationship between firms’ networking behaviour and the regime under which they operate, operationalized at both sector and firm-level.
These propositions are explored through empirical research comparing firms operating in two distinct knowledge-intensive sectors, namely biotechnology, which is commonly considered more science-based, and software, thought of as mostly technology-based.
As expected, we found that distinct technological regimes affect the knowledge search/exchange process, and thus have an impact upon the network building strategies of the firms.
The results also reveal that sector-based technological regimes have a greater explanatory capacity than firm-based regimes that cross sectoral boundaries.
The use of different approaches and techniques, together with the combination of sector and firm level analyses, provided a tool that enabled a deeper understanding of the variety of networking behaviours among knowledge-intensive firms.POCI/ESC/60500/2004 e PPCDT/ESC/60500/2004 FC
Redes sociais e empreendedorismo em biotecnologia. O processo de aglomeração em torno de núcleos de produção de conhecimento
Este artigo aborda a aglomeração de novas empresas de biotecno-logia em torno de nĂşcleos de produção de conhecimento, centrando-se no papel das redes sociais no acesso ao conhecimento cientĂfico e tecnolĂłgico. A abordagem toma em consideração o impacto de várias formas de proximidade – geográfica, social, cognitiva e organizacional – no desenvolvimento de relações chave e na sua utiliza-ção para obter conhecimento cientĂfico e tecnolĂłgico. Tal permite aferir a importân-cia relativa de fontes de conhecimento prĂłximas e distantes e explicar as decisões tomadas pelos empreendedores em termos de mobilização das redes que lhes dĂŁo acesso. Na exploração empĂrica recorre-se a uma metodologia para reconstruir as redes sociais e medir os diferentes tipos de proximidade.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Impact of age, gender and body mass index on the efficacy of tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty
Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is effective and safe in decreasing blood loss and transfusion rate in total knee
arthroplasty (TKA). Few studies focused on the role of patients’ characteristics on the efficacy of TXA in TKA. The
purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective analysis to investigate if age, gender and BMI influence the
efficacy of TXA in reducing perioperative blood loss in TKA.
Methods: We did an observational study including 366 consecutive patients undergoing TKA in Hospital Particular
do Algarve between January 2011 and April 2019 which were divided in two groups: intraoperative administration of
intravenous TXA (TXA Group) and no administration of TXA (Control Group). The perioperative blood loss between
groups and their relation with age, gender and BMI was compared.
Results: Of the 366 patients, 225 (61%) received TXA. In both groups, age did not correlate to the blood loss.
Women in the TXA group had less perioperative blood loss than in the control group. No such difference was found
for men. The normal weight group showed no difference in perioperative blood loss with or without TXA
administration. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the overweight and obese groups. The
mean perioperative blood loss was higher in the control group (854±342 ml) than in the TXA group (720±335 ml).
Conclusions: TXA administration is efficient in controlling TKA associated hemorrhage in overweight and obese
individuals and in women but it doesn’t have that effect in normal weight patients or in men.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Impact of age, gender and body mass index on the efficacy of tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty
Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is effective and safe in decreasing blood loss and transfusion rate in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Few studies focused on the role of patients’ characteristics on the efficacy of TXA in TKA. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective analysis to investigate if age, gender and BMI influence the efficacy of TXA in reducing perioperative blood loss in TKA.Methods: We did an observational study including 366 consecutive patients undergoing TKA in Hospital Particular do Algarve between January 2011 and April 2019 which were divided in two groups: intraoperative administration of intravenous TXA (TXA Group) and no administration of TXA (Control Group). The perioperative blood loss between groups and their relation with age, gender and BMI was compared.Results: Of the 366 patients, 225 (61%) received TXA. In both groups, age did not correlate to the blood loss. Women in the TXA group had less perioperative blood loss than in the control group. No such difference was found for men. The normal weight group showed no difference in perioperative blood loss with or without TXA administration. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the overweight and obese groups. The mean perioperative blood loss was higher in the control group (854±342 ml) than in the TXA group (720±335 ml).Conclusions: TXA administration is efficient in controlling TKA associated hemorrhage in overweight and obese individuals and in women but it doesn’t have that effect in normal weight patients or in men
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