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When birds of a feather don't flock together: Diversity and innovation outcomes in international R&D collaborations

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  • Brunetta, Federica
  • Marchegiani, Lucia
  • Peruffo, Enzo

Abstract

Collaboration is a key to success. Nonetheless, collaboration dynamics are affected by partner compatibility, which, in turn, is strongly affected by team member diversity. Studies on team diversity have shown significant variation in the magnitude, significance, and causal direction of the correlations. We examine how international R&D teams collaborate, investigating the impact of team diversity on innovation. We focus on institutional diversity to analyze how, together with the duration of the collaboration, it affects innovation outcomes. We argue that institutional diversity hampers effective knowledge sharing and negatively affects innovation outcomes. However, this negative effect is mitigated by the duration of the R&D collaboration. The longer the diverse actors collaborate, the more likely they are to overcome the barriers of institutional diversity and find effective modes of collaboration for knowledge transfer and innovation. We test our hypotheses in the context of 3658 clinical trial projects conducted between 2001 and 2015.

Suggested Citation

  • Brunetta, Federica & Marchegiani, Lucia & Peruffo, Enzo, 2020. "When birds of a feather don't flock together: Diversity and innovation outcomes in international R&D collaborations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 436-445.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:114:y:2020:i:c:p:436-445
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.08.033
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    2. João Augusto Ferreira Freire & Eduardo Gonçalves, 2022. "Cooperation in Innovative Efforts: a Systematic Literature Review," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(4), pages 3364-3400, December.
    3. Xie, Xuemei & Wu, Yonghui & Martínez, José Manuel Guaita, 2023. "More is not always better: Reconciling the dilemma of R&D collaboration in high-tech industries in transition economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    4. Pereira, Vijay & Bamel, Umesh & Temouri, Yama & Budhwar, Pawan & Del Giudice, Manlio, 2023. "Mapping the evolution, current state of affairs and future research direction of managing cross-border knowledge for innovation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    5. Cathrin Söllner & Dirk Fornahl, 2021. "Unleashing Inventive Power - Solving cognitive, social and geographic distance issues with cultural proximity," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2103, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    6. Fiori, Giovana Maria Lanchoti & Basso, Fernanda Gisele & Porto, Geciane Silveira, 2022. "Cooperation in R&D in the pharmaceutical industry: Technological and clinical trial networks in oncology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    7. Yan Han & Cheng Pan & Fengjun Jin, 2023. "Does the Improvement of the Business Environment Improve the Innovation Efficiency of Enterprises? Evidence from the Listed Companies in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-25, July.
    8. Kim, Nami & Kim, Eonsoo & Lee, Jongseon, 2021. "Innovating by eliminating: Technological resource divestiture and firms’ innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 176-187.

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