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How national institutions influence technology policies and firms' knowledge-building strategies: A study of fuel cell innovation across industrialized countries

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  • Vasudeva, Gurneeta

Abstract

The central thesis advanced in this study is that firms' knowledge-building strategies can be usefully explained by the variations in their national institutional contexts. Using an inductive approach, a study of fuel cell innovation across the U.S., France, Japan and Norway demonstrates how countries' socio-political institutions - characterized by their levels of statism and corporatism - contribute to variations in technology policies pertaining to investment, collaboration, internationalization, and diversity. These technology policies are sources of advantages (and disadvantages) for firms, with implications for their knowledge-building strategies. The proposed theoretical framework is especially relevant in the context of industry emergence and R&D internationalization.

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  • Vasudeva, Gurneeta, 2009. "How national institutions influence technology policies and firms' knowledge-building strategies: A study of fuel cell innovation across industrialized countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 1248-1259, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:38:y:2009:i:8:p:1248-1259
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