IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/intman/v31y2025i2s1075425325000109.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Foreign and domestic university collaboration for outbound open innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Aliasghar, Omid
  • Un, C. Annique
  • Asakawa, Kazuhiro
  • Haar, Jarrod
  • Wu, Sihong

Abstract

Outbound open innovation, the external commercialization of the firm's knowledge, is important for creating and sustaining its competitive advantage. Surprisingly, limited studies have explained how and why a firm can enhance its likelihood of engagement in outbound open innovation activities by collaborating with universities, especially foreign ones. Building on the knowledge-based view (KBV), first, we differentiate the effects of collaborating with foreign versus domestic universities, since these create scientific knowledge that varies in novelty and ease of transfer. Second, based on these two knowledge dimensions, we argue that foreign university collaboration is more likely to have a higher positive association with outbound open innovation than domestic university collaboration, because the former has higher knowledge novelty than the latter. Third, however, when firms also collaborate with domestic value chain partners, collaborating with domestic universities is likely to have a higher positive association. We tested these arguments on 541 firms in New Zealand and found that collaborating with foreign universities has a positive association, especially when the universities are located in developed economies. Collaborating with domestic universities has a positive association when firms also collaborate with their domestic value chain partners.

Suggested Citation

  • Aliasghar, Omid & Un, C. Annique & Asakawa, Kazuhiro & Haar, Jarrod & Wu, Sihong, 2025. "Foreign and domestic university collaboration for outbound open innovation," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(2).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:31:y:2025:i:2:s1075425325000109
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2025.101232
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1075425325000109
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intman.2025.101232?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aihua Chen & Donald Patton & Martin Kenney, 2016. "University technology transfer in China: a literature review and taxonomy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 891-929, October.
    2. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1992. "Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 383-397, August.
    3. David J. TEECE, 2008. "Profiting from technological innovation: Implications for integration, collaboration, licensing and public policy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Transfer And Licensing Of Know-How And Intellectual Property Understanding the Multinational Enterprise in the Modern World, chapter 5, pages 67-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Franco Malerba & Luigi Orsenigo, 1996. "Technological Regimes and Firm Behaviour," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Giovanni Dosi & Franco Malerba (ed.), Organization and Strategy in the Evolution of the Enterprise, chapter 2, pages 42-71, Palgrave Macmillan.
    5. Murray, Fiona, 2004. "The role of academic inventors in entrepreneurial firms: sharing the laboratory life," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 643-659, May.
    6. Winter, Sidney G., 1984. "Schumpeterian competition in alternative technological regimes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 5(3-4), pages 287-320.
    7. Michael A. Hitt & Haiyang Li & William J. Worthington IV, 2005. "Emerging Markets as Learning Laboratories: Learning Behaviors of Local Firms and Foreign Entrants in Different Institutional Contexts," Management and Organization Review, International Association of Chinese Management Research, vol. 1(3), pages 353-380, November.
    8. Petersen, Bent & Pedersen, Torben, 2002. "Coping with liability of foreignness: Different learning engagements of entrant firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 339-350.
    9. Tether, Bruce S., 2002. "Who co-operates for innovation, and why: An empirical analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 947-967, August.
    10. Saviotti, Pier Paolo, 1998. "On the dynamics of appropriability, of tacit and of codified knowledge," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(7-8), pages 843-856, April.
    11. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1993. "Knowledge of the Firm and the Evolutionary Theory of the Multinational Corporation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 24(4), pages 625-645, December.
    12. Serapio Jr., Manuel G. & Dalton, Donald H., 1999. "Globalization of industrial R&D: an examination of foreign direct investments in R&D in the United States," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 303-316, March.
    13. René Belderbos & Marcelina Grabowska & Stijn Kelchtermans & Bart Leten & Jojo Jacob & Massimo Riccaboni, 2021. "Whither geographic proximity? Bypassing local R&D units in foreign university collaboration," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(7), pages 1302-1330, September.
    14. Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria & Marques, Rosane Argou & Silva, Evando Mirra de Paula e, 2013. "University–industry collaboration and innovation in emergent and mature industries in new industrialized countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 443-453.
    15. De Moortel, Kevin & Crispeels, Thomas, 2018. "International university-university technology transfer: Strategic management framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 145-155.
    16. Wesley M. Cohen & Richard R. Nelson & John P. Walsh, 2003. "Links and Impacts: The Influence of Public Research on Industrial R&D," Chapters, in: Aldo Geuna & Ammon J. Salter & W. Edward Steinmueller (ed.), Science and Innovation, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    17. Liu, Ling & Henley, John & Mousavi, Mohammad Mahdi, 2021. "Foreign interfirm networks and internationalization: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    18. Dominique Philippe Martin & Alexander T. Allen, 2013. "Intermediaries for open innovation: A competence-based comparison of knowledge transfer offices practices," Post-Print halshs-00766710, HAL.
    19. Michael B. Heeley & Robert Jacobson, 2008. "The recency of technological inputs and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(7), pages 723-744, July.
    20. Aliasghar, Omid & Rose, Elizabeth L. & Asakawa, Kazuhiro, 2022. "Sources of knowledge and process innovation: The moderating role of perceived competitive intensity," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2).
    21. Evans, Martin G., 1985. "A Monte Carlo study of the effects of correlated method variance in moderated multiple regression analysis," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 305-323, December.
    22. Bjørn Asheim & Lars Coenen, 2006. "Contextualising Regional Innovation Systems in a Globalising Learning Economy: On Knowledge Bases and Institutional Frameworks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 163-173, January.
    23. Arora, Ashish, 1996. "Contracting for tacit knowledge: the provision of technical services in technology licensing contracts," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 233-256, August.
    24. Cuijpers, Maarten & Guenter, Hannes & Hussinger, Katrin, 2011. "Costs and benefits of inter-departmental innovation collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 565-575, May.
    25. Ryazanova, Olga & Jaskiene, Jolanta, 2022. "Managing individual research productivity in academic organizations: A review of the evidence and a path forward," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(2).
    26. Hitt, Michael A. & Li, Haiyang & Worthington, William J., 2005. "Emerging Markets as Learning Laboratories: Learning Behaviors of Local Firms and Foreign Entrants in Different Institutional Contexts," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(3), pages 353-380, November.
    27. Yadav, Anil & McHale, John & O'Neill, Stephen, 2023. "How does co-authoring with a star affect scientists' productivity? Evidence from small open economies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    28. Gretsch, Oliver & Salzmann, Edmund & Kock, Alexander, 2019. "University-Industry Collaboration and Front-end Success: The Moderating Effects of Innovativeness and Parallel Cross-firm Collaboration," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 118967, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    29. Scott Shane, 2001. "Technological Opportunities and New Firm Creation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(2), pages 205-220, February.
    30. Neus Palomeras & David Wehrheim, 2021. "The strategic allocation of inventors to R&D collaborations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 144-169, January.
    31. He, Zi-Lin & Geng, Xue-Song & Campbell-Hunt, Colin, 2009. "Research collaboration and research output: A longitudinal study of 65 biomedical scientists in a New Zealand university," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 306-317, March.
    32. Leila Tahmooresnejad & Catherine Beaudry, 2015. "Does Government Funding Have The Same Impact On Academic Publications And Patents? The Case Of Nanotechnology In Canada," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(03), pages 1-16.
    33. George, Gerard & Zahra, Shaker A. & Wood, D. Jr., 2002. "The effects of business-university alliances on innovative output and financial performance: a study of publicly traded biotechnology companies," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 577-609, October.
    34. Iain M. Cockburn & Rebecca M. Henderson, 1998. "Absorptive Capacity, Coauthoring Behavior, and the Organization of Research in Drug Discovery," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 157-182, June.
    35. Coupe, Tom, 2003. "Science Is Golden: Academic R&D and University Patents," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 31-46, January.
    36. Dahlander, Linus & Gann, David M., 2010. "How open is innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 699-709, July.
    37. Pamela J Hinds & Tsedal B Neeley & Catherine Durnell Cramton, 2014. "Language as a lightning rod: Power contests, emotion regulation, and subgroup dynamics in global teams," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(5), pages 536-561, June.
    38. Alexander, Allen T. & Martin, Dominique Philippe, 2013. "Intermediaries for open innovation: A competence-based comparison of knowledge transfer offices practices," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 38-49.
    39. Bruno Cassiman & Giovanni Valentini, 2016. "Open innovation: Are inbound and outbound knowledge flows really complementary?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 1034-1046, June.
    40. Yadong Luo & Mike W Peng, 1999. "Learning to Compete in a Transition Economy: Experience, Environment, and Performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 269-295, June.
    41. Wesley M. Cohen & Richard R. Nelson & John P. Walsh, 2000. "Protecting Their Intellectual Assets: Appropriability Conditions and Why U.S. Manufacturing Firms Patent (or Not)," NBER Working Papers 7552, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    42. Donald D. Bergh & Gordon F. Holbein, 1997. "Assessment and redirection of longitudinal analysis demonstration with a study of the diversification and divestiture relationship," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 557-571, August.
    43. Gimenez-Fernandez, Elena M. & Sandulli, Francesco D. & Bogers, Marcel, 2020. "Unpacking liabilities of newness and smallness in innovative start-ups: Investigating the differences in innovation performance between new and older small firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(10).
    44. Masucci, Monica & Brusoni, Stefano & Cennamo, Carmelo, 2020. "Removing bottlenecks in business ecosystems: The strategic role of outbound open innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    45. Spithoven, André & Teirlinck, Peter, 2015. "Internal capabilities, network resources and appropriation mechanisms as determinants of R&D outsourcing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 711-725.
    46. Florida, Richard, 1997. "The globalization of R&D: Results of a survey of foreign-affiliated R&D laboratories in the USA," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 85-103, March.
    47. Furman, Jeffrey L. & Porter, Michael E. & Stern, Scott, 2002. "The determinants of national innovative capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 899-933, August.
    48. Wilbur Chung & Juan Alcácer, 2002. "Knowledge Seeking and Location Choice of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(12), pages 1534-1554, December.
    49. Lori Rosenkopf & Atul Nerkar, 2001. "Beyond local search: boundary‐spanning, exploration, and impact in the optical disk industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 287-306, April.
    50. Xu Xu & Kevin Sylwester, 2017. "The Effects Of Foreign Universities On Domestic Human Capital Accumulation," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(3), pages 1324-1335, July.
    51. Aurora Liu Genin & Justin Tan & Juan Song, 2022. "Relational assets or liabilities? Competition, collaboration, and firm intellectual property breakthrough in the Chinese high-speed train sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 1895-1923, December.
    52. Francisco Polidoro & Curba Morris Lampert & Minyoung Kim, 2022. "External knowledge sourcing, knowledge spillovers, and internal collaboration: The effects of intrafirm linkages on firm‐university co‐authorship linkages," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(13), pages 2742-2776, December.
    53. Qiu, Shumin & Liu, Xielin & Gao, Taishan, 2017. "Do emerging countries prefer local knowledge or distant knowledge? Spillover effect of university collaborations on local firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(7), pages 1299-1311.
    54. Filippetti, Andrea & Guy, Frederick, 2020. "Labor market regulation, the diversity of knowledge and skill, and national innovation performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    55. Soh, Pek-Hooi & Subramanian, Annapoornima M., 2014. "When do firms benefit from university–industry R&D collaborations? The implications of firm R&D focus on scientific research and technological recombination," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 807-821.
    56. Corredoira, Rafael A. & Goldfarb, Brent D. & Shi, Yuan, 2018. "Federal funding and the rate and direction of inventive activity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1777-1800.
    57. Østergaard, Christian Richter & Drejer, Ina, 2022. "Keeping together: Which factors characterise persistent university–industry collaboration on innovation?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    58. Gaur, Ajai S. & Kumar, Vikas & Singh, Deeksha, 2014. "Institutions, resources, and internationalization of emerging economy firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 12-20.
    59. Joaquín Azagra-Caro & Rafael Pardo & Ruth Rama, 2014. "Not searching, but finding: how innovation shapes perceptions about universities and public research organisations," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 454-471, June.
    60. Su, Zhongfeng & Li, Jiatao & Wei, Shihao & Wu, Zhan, 2024. "Effect of inward foreign direct investment on entrepreneurship productivity in emerging markets," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shi, Xing & Wu, Yanrui & Fu, Dahai, 2020. "Does University-Industry collaboration improve innovation efficiency? Evidence from Chinese Firms⋄," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 39-53.
    2. Jacob, Jojo & Belderbos, René & Lokshin, Boris, 2023. "Entangled modes: Boundaries to effective international knowledge sourcing through technology alliances and technology-based acquisitions," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    3. Aaron K. Chatterji & Kira Fabrizio, 2012. "How Do Product Users Influence Corporate Invention?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 971-987, August.
    4. Soh, Pek-Hooi & Subramanian, Annapoornima M., 2014. "When do firms benefit from university–industry R&D collaborations? The implications of firm R&D focus on scientific research and technological recombination," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 807-821.
    5. Yunjae Bae & Kyungsuk Lee & Taewoo Roh, 2020. "Acquirer’s Absorptive Capacity and Firm Performance: The Perspectives of Strategic Behavior and Knowledge Assets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-28, October.
    6. Hitt, Michael A. & Li, Dan & Xu, Kai, 2016. "International strategy: From local to global and beyond," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 58-73.
    7. Garcia-Perez-de-Lema, Domingo & Madrid-Guijarro, Antonia & Martin, Dominique Philippe, 2017. "Influence of university–firm governance on SMEs innovation and performance levels," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 250-261.
    8. Singh, Jasjit, 2008. "Distributed R&D, cross-regional knowledge integration and quality of innovative output," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 77-96, February.
    9. René Belderbos & Marcelina Grabowska & Stijn Kelchtermans & Bart Leten & Jojo Jacob & Massimo Riccaboni, 2021. "Whither geographic proximity? Bypassing local R&D units in foreign university collaboration," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(7), pages 1302-1330, September.
    10. Leone, Maria Isabella & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio & Natalicchio, Angelo, 2022. "Boundary spanning through external technology acquisition: The moderating role of star scientists and upstream alliances," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    11. Adrián Kovács & Bart Looy & Bruno Cassiman, 2015. "Exploring the scope of open innovation: a bibliometric review of a decade of research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 104(3), pages 951-983, September.
    12. Rakas, Marija & Hain, Daniel S., 2019. "The state of innovation system research: What happens beneath the surface?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    13. Jong, Simcha & Slavova, Kremena, 2014. "When publications lead to products: The open science conundrum in new product development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 645-654.
    14. Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Pia & Yang, Jialei, 2022. "Distinguishing between appropriability and appropriation: A systematic review and a renewed conceptual framing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    15. Maureen McKelvey & Bastian Rake, 2020. "Exploring scientific publications by firms: what are the roles of academic and corporate partners for publications in high reputation or high impact journals?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(3), pages 1323-1360, March.
    16. Liang Chen & Yi Li & Di Fan, 2021. "Who are the most inclined to learn? Evidence from Chinese multinationals’ internationalization in the European Union," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 231-257, March.
    17. Bruneel, Johan & D'Este, Pablo & Salter, Ammon, 2010. "Investigating the factors that diminish the barriers to university-industry collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 858-868, September.
    18. Mario Kafouros & Niron Hashai & Janja Annabel Tardios & Elizabeth Yi Wang, 2022. "How do MNEs invent? An invention-based perspective of MNE profitability," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(7), pages 1420-1448, September.
    19. Hashai, Niron & Almor, Tamar, 2008. "R&D intensity, value appropriation and integration patterns within organizational boundaries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6-7), pages 1022-1034, July.
    20. Ren� Belderbos & Dieter Somers, 2015. "Do Technology Leaders Deter Inward R&D Investments? Evidence from Regional R&D Location Decisions in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(11), pages 1805-1821, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:31:y:2025:i:2:s1075425325000109. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/601266/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.