A Network Perspective on Inter-Organizational Transfer of R&D Capabilities: A Study of International Joint Ventures in Chinese Automobile Industry

Multinational enterprises' transfer of R&D capabilities to their international joint ventures in the less developed countries has been an emerging phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to understand the transfer of R&D capabilities between organizations embedded in drastically different organizational contexts using a network perspective. We identified different networks involved in the R&D capability transfer process from the perspectives of source organization, recipient organization and the interface between them, and analyzed the impact of different attributes of these networks on the effectiveness of R&D capability transfer, based on the notion that R&D capabilities are largely collective knowledge.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39746/3/wp362.pd

Transferring Collective Knowledge: Collective and Fragmented Teaching and Learning in the Chinese Auto Industry

Collective knowledge, consisting of tacit group-embedded knowledge, is a key element of organizational capabilities. This study undertakes a multiple-case study of the transfer of collective knowledge, guided by a set of tentative constructs and propositions derived from organizational learning theory. By focusing on the group-embeddedness dimension of collective knowledge, we direct our attention to the source and recipient communities. We identify two sets of strategic choices concerning the transfer of collective knowledge: collective vs. fragmented teaching, and collective vs. fragmented learning. The empirical context of this study is international R&D capability transfer in the Chinese auto industry. From the case evidence, we find the expected benefits of collective teaching and collective learning, and also discover additional benefits of these two strategies, including the creation of a bridge network communication infrastructure. The study disclosed other conditions underlying the choice of strategies of transferring collective knowledge, including transfer effort and the level of group-embeddedness of the knowledge to be taught or re-embedded. The paper provides a group-level perspective in understanding organizational capabilities, as well as a set of refined constructs and propositions concerning strategic choices of transferring collective knowledge. The study also provides a rich description of the best practices and lessons learned in transferring organizational capabilities.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39804/3/wp420.pd

A Network Perspective on Inter-Organizational Transfer of R&D Capabilities: A Study of International Joint Ventures in Chinese Automobile Industry

Multinational enterprises' transfer of R&D capabilities to their international joint ventures in the less developed countries has been an emerging phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to understand the transfer of R&D capabilities between organizations embedded in drastically different organizational contexts using a network perspective. We identified different networks involved in the R&D capability transfer process from the perspectives of source organization, recipient organization and the interface between them, and analyzed the impact of different attributes of these networks on the effectiveness of R&D capability transfer, based on the notion that R&D capabilities are largely collective knowledge.R&D capabilities, networks, international knowledge transfer, joint ventures, collective knowledge

Transferring Collective Knowledge: Collective and Fragmented Teaching and Learning in the Chinese Auto Industry

Collective knowledge, consisting of tacit group-embedded knowledge, is a key element of organizational capabilities. This study undertakes a multiple-case study of the transfer of collective knowledge, guided by a set of tentative constructs and propositions derived from organizational learning theory. By focusing on the group-embeddedness dimension of collective knowledge, we direct our attention to the source and recipient communities. We identify two sets of strategic choices concerning the transfer of collective knowledge: collective vs. fragmented teaching, and collective vs. fragmented learning. The empirical context of this study is international R&D capability transfer in the Chinese auto industry. From the case evidence, we find the expected benefits of collective teaching and collective learning, and also discover additional benefits of these two strategies, including the creation of a bridge network communication infrastructure. The study disclosed other conditions underlying the choice of strategies of transferring collective knowledge, including transfer effort and the level of group-embeddedness of the knowledge to be taught or re-embedded. The paper provides a group-level perspective in understanding organizational capabilities, as well as a set of refined constructs and propositions concerning strategic choices of transferring collective knowledge. The study also provides a rich description of the best practices and lessons learned in transferring organizational capabilities.knowledge transfer, collective knowledge, organizational capabilities, R&D capabilities, organizational learning, network, China

Alliance Activity as a Dynamic Capability: Search and Internalization of External Technology.

Previous research has often seen alliances as a mechanism used by disadvantaged firms to seek new capabilities. But are alliances an effective dynamic capability? We find that less competent firms can use alliances to access new technologies, but more competent firms are superior in internalizing new capabilities from their alliances.Previous research has often seen alliances as a mechanism used by disadvantaged firms to seek new capabilities. But are alliances an effective dynamic capability? We find that less competent firms can use alliances to access new technologies, but more competent firms are superior in internalizing new capabilities from their alliances.Refereed Working Papers / of international relevanc

Alliance activity as a dynamic capability in the face of a discontinuous technological change

Using a dynamic capabilities lens, this study examines how technological and complementary capabilities affect firms’ abilities to enter emerging technologies. The empirical evidence from a sample of pharmaceutical firms entering the new biotech fields indicates that both technological and complementary capabilities potentially affect firms’ entry into emerging technologies and entry mode. However, the results also show that capabilities in the traditional technology and the emerging technology have different effects. Firms with capabilities in the emerging technology are more likely to enter new technological fields and more likely to use internal development in doing so. Complementary capabilities also increase the rate of entry into emerging technological fields. However, capabilities in traditional technology are found to be unrelated to the propensity to enter new fields, and to the choice of entry mode. These results are consistent with insights from the literature on dynamic capabilities and evolutionary theory. We examine the implications of these results for literatures on strategic alliances and technological competition.Fil: Anand, Jaideep. Ohio University; Estados UnidosFil: Oriani, Raffaele. Luiss Guido Carli University; ItaliaFil: Vassolo, Roberto Santiago. Universidad Austral. Instituto de Altos Estudios; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Transferring collective knowledge: teaching and learning in the Chinese auto industry

U.S. for their assistance and insights. We are grateful for thoughtful suggests from Kath

Responding to a declining product market: A study of defense contractors using resource based, evolutionary and agency perspectives

This is an empirical study of corporate strategies in the decline phase of an industry. The U.S. defense industry is used as a setting; the years before the end of the cold war as the growth phase, and the years after the end of the cold war as the decline phase. Firm choices are broadly divided into consolidation strategies and diversification strategies. In the former, firms allow capital and other resources to be reallocated through the market process; in the latter this reallocation is made within the firm. Based on resource based and evolutionary perspectives on one hand, and agency theory on the other, the factors responsible for firm choices are identified and analyzed. Further, the performance of these strategies is analyzed at the transaction and corporate levels. Results indicate that firm resources are important determinants of firm choices; though non-technological assets appear to be more salient than technological assets. The corporate governance variables do not appear to explain the firm choices in terms of main effects, but show significant interaction effects with the resource variables. In other words, firms with tighter shareholder control adopt strategies more consistent with their resources. Generally, consolidation oriented strategies show better performance outcomes than diversification strategies. These results show that the integration of competence based and corporate governance based perspectives is justified. There is no difference in the stock market based measures of performance between the growth and decline phases when it comes to diversification. The market does not reward reallocation of capital within the firm

Responding to a declining product market: A study of defense contractors using resource based, evolutionary and agency perspectives

This is an empirical study of corporate strategies in the decline phase of an industry. The U.S. defense industry is used as a setting; the years before the end of the cold war as the growth phase, and the years after the end of the cold war as the decline phase. Firm choices are broadly divided into consolidation strategies and diversification strategies. In the former, firms allow capital and other resources to be reallocated through the market process; in the latter this reallocation is made within the firm. Based on resource based and evolutionary perspectives on one hand, and agency theory on the other, the factors responsible for firm choices are identified and analyzed. Further, the performance of these strategies is analyzed at the transaction and corporate levels. Results indicate that firm resources are important determinants of firm choices; though non-technological assets appear to be more salient than technological assets. The corporate governance variables do not appear to explain the firm choices in terms of main effects, but show significant interaction effects with the resource variables. In other words, firms with tighter shareholder control adopt strategies more consistent with their resources. Generally, consolidation oriented strategies show better performance outcomes than diversification strategies. These results show that the integration of competence based and corporate governance based perspectives is justified. There is no difference in the stock market based measures of performance between the growth and decline phases when it comes to diversification. The market does not reward reallocation of capital within the firm