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Innovating across boundaries: A portfolio perspective on innovation partnerships of multinational corporations

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  • Piening, Erk P.
  • Salge, Torsten Oliver
  • Schäfer, Sebastian

Abstract

This paper examines how and under what conditions alliance portfolio diversity influences a firm's innovative performance, with special attention being given to potential performance differences between multinational corporations (MNCs) and domestic firms. Analyses of data from 1045 German firms, among which 598 MNCs, revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between alliance portfolio diversity and MNCs’ innovative performance. Findings also indicate MNCs to be better positioned than their domestic counterparts with regards to translating alliance portfolio diversity into superior innovative performance. Importantly though, this only holds for MNCs equipped with strong internal R&D capabilities and, to some extent, high human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Piening, Erk P. & Salge, Torsten Oliver & Schäfer, Sebastian, 2016. "Innovating across boundaries: A portfolio perspective on innovation partnerships of multinational corporations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 474-485.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:51:y:2016:i:3:p:474-485
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2016.01.001
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    3. Jesper N Wulff & Anders R Villadsen, 2020. "Keeping it within bounds: Regression analysis of proportions in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(2), pages 244-262, March.
    4. Patel, Pankaj C. & Parida, Vinit & Jayaram, Jayanth & Oghazi, Pejvak, 2018. "Task equivocality and process modularity in R&D offshore collaboration projects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 12-22.
    5. Piotr Trąpczyński & Łukasz Puślecki & Michał Staszków, 2018. "Determinants of Innovation Cooperation Performance: What Do We Know and What Should We Know?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-32, November.
    6. Cozza, Claudio & Perani, Giulio & Zanfei, Antonello, 2016. "Are multinationals better at creating technical linkages with local firms?," Papers in Innovation Studies 2016/14, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    7. Fu, Xiaolan & Fu, Xiaoqing (Maggie) & Ghauri, Pervez & Hou, Jun, 2022. "International collaboration and innovation: Evidence from a leading Chinese multinational enterprise," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    8. Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd & Jindra, Björn, 2018. "Product innovation and decision-making autonomy in subsidiaries of multinational companies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 529-539.
    9. Ardito, Lorenzo & Peruffo, Enzo & Natalicchio, Angelo, 2019. "The relationships between the internationalization of alliance portfolio diversity, individual incentives, and innovation ambidexterity: A microfoundational approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    10. Kafouros, Mario & Wang, Chengqi & Mavroudi, Eva & Hong, Junjie & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 2018. "Geographic dispersion and co-location in global R&D portfolios: Consequences for firm performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(7), pages 1243-1255.
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