nep-ppm New Economics Papers
on Project, Program and Portfolio Management
Issue of 2013‒09‒25
three papers chosen by
Arvi Kuura
Parnu College - Tartu University

  1. The spatiality of trust – Antecedents of trust and the role of face-to-face contacts By Nilsson, Magnus; Mattes, Jannika
  2. Substitution or overlap? The relations between geographical and non-spatial proximity dimensions in collaborative innovation projects By Hansen, Teis
  3. R&D offshoring and the productivity growth of European regions By Castellani, Davide; Pieri, Fabio

  1. By: Nilsson, Magnus (CIRCLE, Lund University); Mattes, Jannika (Institute for Social Sciences, CETRO, University of Oldenburg, Germany and CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden)
    Abstract: In this paper we analyze how the spatiality of interactions influences trust creation in multi-site corporate innovation projects. By drawing on insights from the discussion on initial and gradual trust and connecting them to contributions from the field of economic geography, we examine different antecedents of trust and their dependence on face-to-face interaction. We thereby illustrate the complexity of initial and gradual trust creation and the interplay between personality traits, group-based similarities, situational and institutional factors, reputational inference, and personal interaction as trust antecedents. We can show that the speed and level of resilient trust creation is decisively influenced by the frequency and duration of face-to-face exchange between key project actors. The empirical insights are based on two qualitative case studies on specific innovation projects in multinational companies. Our findings stress the need to incorporate space as a facilitating factor in the analysis of trust development.
    Keywords: Trust; spatiality; proximity; face-to-face; project work
    JEL: M10 M19
    Date: 2013–04–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2013_016&r=ppm
  2. By: Hansen, Teis (CIRCLE, Lund University)
    Abstract: Traditionally, economic geographers stress geographical proximity’s positive impact on collaboration processes. Recently, effects of cognitive, organisational, social and institutional proximity dimensions have been emphasised. This paper examines the relations between geography and these non-spatial dimensions by distinguishing two mechanisms: the substitution mechanism, where non-spatial forms of proximity substitute for geographical proximity, and the overlap mechanism, where geographical proximity facilitates non-spatial proximity. The two mechanisms’ importance is analysed in collaborative innovation projects in the Danish cleantech industry. Regression models are complemented by a qualitative analysis of the relationship between the geographical and institutional dimensions, which is the only relation where the substitution mechanism is of little importance.
    Keywords: Proximity; cleantech; collaboration; knowledge linkages; innovation
    JEL: L69 O31 R11
    Date: 2013–05–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2013_018&r=ppm
  3. By: Castellani, Davide (Department of Economics, Finance and Statistics, University of Perugia, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, Milan, Italy Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), Halle, Germany CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden); Pieri, Fabio (Depto. de Economia Aplicada II (Estructura Economica), Universitat de Valencia, Spain)
    Abstract: The recent increase in R&D offshoring have raised fears that knowledge and competitiveness in advanced countries may be at risk of `hollowing out'. At the same time, economic research has stressed that this process is also likely to allow some reverse technology transfer and foster growth at home. This paper addresses this issue by investigating the extent to which R&D offshoring is associated with productivity dynamics of European regions. We find that offshoring regions have higher productivity growth, but this positive effect fades down with the number of investment projects carried out abroad. A large and positive correlation emerge between the extent of R&D offshoring and the home region productivity growth, supporting the idea that carrying out R&D abroad strengthen European competitiveness.
    Keywords: R&D Offshoring; Regional Productivity; Foreign Investments; Europe
    JEL: C23 F23 O47 O52 R11
    Date: 2013–05–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2013_020&r=ppm

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