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on Economics of Strategic Management |
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Issue of 2010‒01‒10
thirteen papers chosen by Joao Jose de Matos Ferreira University of the Beira Interior |
| By: | Stephen Roper (Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry,UK); Spyros Arvanitis (KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich, Switzerland) |
| Abstract: | The innovation value chain (IVC) divides the innovation process into three separate links or activities: knowledge gathering, knowledge transformation and knowledge exploitation. Here, we report a comparative panel data analysis of the IVC in Ireland and Switzerland. Both economies are small, very open and depend significantly on innovation to maintain competitive advantage. In recent years, however, R&D and innovation growth in Ireland has been markedly stronger than that in Switzerland. We investigate these differences through the ‘lens’ of the IVC. We identify significant similarities between the determinants of firms’ knowledge gathering behaviours in each country although firms are responding differently to financial and legal constraints. Strong complementarities emerge between external knowledge sources and between firms’ internal and external knowledge. In terms of knowledge transformation – the development of new products or processes – we again find strong similarities between the two countries in terms of the determinants of the probability of innovation. The determinants of innovation intensity vary more, however, with external ownership significantly more important in Ireland. Finally, we consider the link between innovation and productivity which involves significant endogeneity issues. Two-stage estimation procedures do not suggest any significant links between innovation and productivity as we might expect from the macro-economic evidence. |
| Keywords: | Innovation, value chain, Switzerland, Ireland |
| JEL: | O3 O5 P5 |
| Date: | 2009–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kof:wpskof:09-244&r=cse |
| By: | Laura Alfaro (Harvard Business School, Business, Government & the International Economy Unit); Maggie Chen |
| Abstract: | In this paper we characterize the topology of global multinational networks and examine the macro and micro patterns of multinational activity. We construct indices of network density at both pairwise industry and establishment level and measure agglomeration in a global and continuous metric space. These indices exhibit distinct advantages compared to traditional measures of agglomeration including the independence on the level of geographic aggregation. Estimating the indices using a new worldwide establishment dataset, we investigate both the significance and causes of multinational firm co-agglomeration. In contrast to the conventional emphasis of the literature on the role of input-output linkages, we assess the effect of various agglomeration economies. We find that, relative to counterfactuals, multinationals with greater factor-market externalities, knowledge spillovers, and vertical linkages exhibit significant co-agglomeration. The importance of these factors differs across headquarters, subsidiary, and employment networks, but knowledge spillovers and capital-market externalities, two traditionally under-emphasized forces, exert consistently strong effects. Within each macro network, there is a large heterogeneity across subsidiaries. Subsidiaries with greater size and higher productivity attract significantly more agglomeration than their counterfactuals and become the hubs of the network. |
| JEL: | F2 D2 R1 R3 |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hbs:wpaper:10-043&r=cse |
| By: | Belderbos, Rene (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University and KU Leuven); Gilsing, Victor (Centre for Innovation Research, University of Tilburg); Lokshin, Boris (UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University) |
| Abstract: | We examine how and to what extent the propensity to be engaged in alliances with different partner types (suppliers, customers and competitors) depends on prior alliance engagement with partner firms of the same type (persistence) and prior engagement in alliances with the other partner types (interrelation). We derive hypotheses from a combined competence and governance view of collaboration, and test these on an extensive panel dataset of innovation-active Dutch firms during 1996-2004. We find persistence in alliance engagement of all three types of partners, but customer alliances are more persistent than supplier alliances. Most persistent are joint supplier and customer alliances, which we attribute to the advantages of value chain integration in innovation processes. Positive interrelation also exists in vertical alliances, as immediate past customer alliances increase the propensity to engage in supplier alliances and vice versa. On the other hand, while prior engagement in horizontal (competitor) alliances increases the propensity to engage in vertical alliances, this effect only occurs with a longer lag. Overall, our findings are highly supportive of the idea that alliance engagement with different partner types is heterogeneous but interrelated. Our analysis suggests that the inter-temporal relationship between different types of alliances may be as important as their simultaneous relationship in alliance portfolios. |
| Keywords: | R&D collaboration, technological partnerships, innovation, path dependency |
| JEL: | O31 O32 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:unumer:2009065&r=cse |
| By: | Nicolas Jonard; R. Cowan; B. Sanditov (CREA, University of Luxembourg) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents an economic model of R&D network formation through the creation of strategic alliances. Firms are randomly endowed with knowledge elements. They base their alliance decisions purely on the technological fit of potential part- ners, ignoring social capital considerations and indirect benefits on the network. This is sucient to generate equilibrium networks with the small world properties of ob- served alliance networks, namely short pairwise distances and local clustering. The equilibrium networks are more clustered than "comparable" random graphs, while they have similar characteristic path length. Two extreme regimes of competition are examined, to show that while the competition has a quantitative eect on the equilibrium networks (density is lower with competition), the small world features of the equilibrium networks are preserved. |
| JEL: | D85 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:09-12&r=cse |
| By: | Sjur Kasa (Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo); Anders Underthun (Department of Geography, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology) |
| Abstract: | This paper explores how political struggles influence innovation policy through a Norwegian case study on the formation of a state-funded research and development program for utilizing natural gas feedstock from the North Sea. Despite the apparent dominance of business, specialized branches of the state, and R&D institutions in the realm of innovation policy, the key argument of this paper is that labor unions and regional interests exert considerable influence in shaping national innovation policy, in particular when reflexively exploiting new forms of state accumulation strategies while retaining a defensive stance against deindustrialization. First, we argue that the struggle for state funding to natural-gasbased R&D was particularly effective because appropriate strategic political networks and alliances were mobilized. Second, the construction of strategic arguments to accommodate the social corporatist heritage of state intervention on the one hand and the competitionoriented language of flexible specialization on the other, proved crucial for acceptance as a state strategy. The paper engages a Strategic– Relational Approach to state theory and argues that this is a useful starting point when studying how particular contexts affect how and why certain innovation policies emerge. In doing so, we also address the lack of political analysis in innovation studies. |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tik:inowpp:20091217&r=cse |
| By: | Geir B. Asheim (Department of Economics, University of Oslo - University of Oslo); Mark Voorneveld (SSE - Department of Economics - Stockholm School of Economics); Jörgen Weibull (SSE - Department of Economics - Stockholm School of Economics, Department of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique - CNRS : UMR7176 - Polytechnique - X) |
| Abstract: | This paper provides a definition of epistemic stability of sets of strategy profiles, and uses it to characterize variants of curb sets in finite games, including the set of rationalizable strategies and minimal curb sets. |
| Keywords: | Epistemic game theory; epistemic stability; rationalizability; closedness under rational behavior; mutual p-belief. |
| Date: | 2009–12–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00440098_v1&r=cse |
| By: | Marc Bourreau (Institut Télécom - Télécom ParisTech - Télécom ParisTech, CREST - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique - INSEE - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique); Johan Hombert (CREST - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique - INSEE - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique, ENSAE - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique - ENSAE); Jérôme Pouyet (Department of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique - CNRS : UMR7176 - Polytechnique - X, EEP-PSE - Ecole d'Économie de Paris - Paris School of Economics - Ecole d'Économie de Paris, CEPR - (-)); Nicolas Schutz (Department of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique - CNRS : UMR7176 - Polytechnique - X, EEP-PSE - Ecole d'Économie de Paris - Paris School of Economics - Ecole d'Économie de Paris) |
| Abstract: | We propose a model of two-tier competition between vertically integrated firms and unintegrated downstream firms. We show that, even when integrated firms compete in prices to offer a homogeneous input, the Bertrand result may not obtain, and the input may be priced above marginal cost in equilibrium, which is detrimental to consumers' surplus and social welfare. We obtain that these partial foreclosure equilibria are more likely to exist when downstream competition is fierce. We then use our model to assess the impact of several regulatory tools in the telecommunications industry. |
| Keywords: | Vertical foreclosure, vertically-related markets, telecommunications. |
| Date: | 2009–12–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00440126_v1&r=cse |
| By: | Dmitry Kucharavy (LGeco - Laboratoire de Génie de la Conception - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg); Eric Schenk (LGeco - Laboratoire de Génie de la Conception - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg); Roland De Guio (LGeco - Laboratoire de Génie de la Conception - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg) |
| Abstract: | In this paper applications of logistic S-curve and component logistics are considered in a framework of long-term forecasting of emerging technologies. Several questions and issues are discussed in connection with the presented ways of studying the transition from invention to innovation and further evolution of technologies. First, the features of a simple logistic model are presented and diverse types of competition are discussed. Second, a component logistic model is presented. Third, a hypothesis about the usability of a knowledge growth description and simulation for reliable long-term forecasting is proposed. Some interim empirical results for applying networks of contradictions are given. |
| Keywords: | component logistic model, innovation process, knowledge acquisition, OTSM-TRIZ |
| Date: | 2009–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00440438_v1&r=cse |
| By: | Koschatzky, Knut |
| Abstract: | This paper deals with two major dilemmas in regional innovation policy making: The dilemma that theory does not provide sufficient answers for the formulation of specific innovation policy measures addressing the problem configurations of single regions and the dilemma that role models are used as a substitute for orientation. In order to support policy learning, different approaches like evaluation, the development of innovation strategies and regional foresight are discussed. -- |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r62009&r=cse |
| By: | Kroll, Henning |
| Abstract: | -- |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r22009&r=cse |
| By: | Koschatzky, Knut; Stahlecker, Thomas |
| Abstract: | Taking the implications of the cohesion policy framework for innovation governance as a starting point, it is the objective of this paper to discuss challenges for regional policy making with regard to a policy mix that is new to regional policy makers. Based on two German regions representing convergence and competitive and employment regions it will be discussed how regional policy makers can deal with this new policy approach and what could be appropriate strategies, programmes and learning tools. What can be seen from both the Bavarian and the Saxon case study is that the two regions apply a broad mix of different innovation policy measures, supporting all innovation policy tasks with relevance to regional development. In both regions innovation policy is not a new task, but Saxony as well as Bavaria can look back to a quite long tradition in the im-plementation of this policy. Differences exist with regard to policy learning in a way that due the longer innovation policy experiences of Bavaria more sophisticated structures and activities can be found in this federal state. -- |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r32009&r=cse |
| By: | Koschatzky, Knut; Baier, Elisabeth; Kroll, Henning; Stahlecker, Thomas |
| Abstract: | The innovation system approach has become a current and frequently used tool for the assessment of innovative activities in different fields of study. So far, however, there is no unanimous agreement on the issue of the most relevant perspective which has to be taken when applying the approach to the study of individual cases - the territorial or the sectoral. This paper argues that it is both unlikely and analytically undesirable that any one of them should prevail. We will point out that taking the ICT sector as a case study, in most cases both territorial and sectoral determinants influence the develop-ment of innovative activities. We thus argue that neither the sectoral perspective can be thought of without taking into account territorial framework conditions nor vice versa. Even when the individual academic undertaking requires lying emphasis on one of the perspectives, the other needs to be included in the analysis. -- |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r42009&r=cse |
| By: | Muller, Emmanuel; Zenker, Andrea; Héraud, Jean-Alain |
| Abstract: | -- |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r72009&r=cse |