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Research PolicyVolume 40, Issue 2, March 2011, Pages 297-308

The bumpy road of technology partnerships: Understanding causes and consequences of partnership mal-functioning(Article)(Open Access)

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  • aDepartment of Organization and Strategy, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands
  • bUNU-MERIT, Keizer Karelplein 19, 6211 TC Maastricht, Netherlands

Abstract

Research on technological partnerships has traditionally sought explanation of their high failure rates in partner characteristics and relationship features. This study introduces the notion of a 'bumpy road' in technology partnerships which refers to undesired outcomes such as 'partnership mal-functioning' and 'instability' to the degree to which innovation activities are hampered. We explain how firm-level strategies can reduce the probability of a 'bumpy road' in partnerships. We also assess the impact of this 'bumpy road' on innovative performance. We find that firms that excel in diversification of external activities (in terms of different types of partners) perform best. Moreover, a persistent product oriented innovation strategy geared at developing new products, new markets, or higher product quality will yield more stable partnership outcomes. Our results confirm that engagement in partnerships is beneficial for innovative performance. However, firms that experienced a 'bumpy road' in their technological partnerships have to pay a price in terms of a negative effect on their innovative performance. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

Alliance failureInnovationR&D collaborationTechnological performance

Indexed keywords

Engineering uncontrolled termsAlliance failureFailure rateInnovation activityInnovation strategyInnovative performanceNew productProduct qualityTechnological performance
Engineering controlled terms:Mergers and acquisitionsRoads and streets
Engineering main heading:Innovation
  • ISSN: 00487333
  • CODEN: REPYB
  • Source Type: Journal
  • Original language: English
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2010.10.008
  • Document Type: Article

  Lokshin, B.; Department of Organization and Strategy, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, Netherlands;
© Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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