FEP (School of Economics and Management, University of Porto
Abstract
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