IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/h/elg/eechap/15906_3.html
   My bibliography  Save this book chapter

Technological advancement through imitation by industry incumbents in strategic alliances

In: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Nerine Mary George
  • Sergey Anokhin
  • Vinit Parida
  • Joakim Wincent

Abstract

Contrary to conventional wisdom, this study demonstrates that technological laggards and not industry front-runners are most likely to experience high rates of technological advancement in strategic alliances. We further suggest that imitation and not innovation is the primary source of such advancement, based on the fact that technological progress by laggards is most visible in industries that lack strong appropriability regimes. Finally, we present empirical evidence suggesting that lagging established corporations prefer to imitate from startups and not from fellow incumbents. These results are derived from a careful analysis of a longitudinal sample of over 150 incumbents with varying degrees of technological prowess that engage in partnerships with both startups and fellow incumbents across a wide representation of industries. Our chapter contributes to technological innovation, strategic alliance, entrepreneurship and imitation literatures, and provides non-trivial implications for startups.

Suggested Citation

  • Nerine Mary George & Sergey Anokhin & Vinit Parida & Joakim Wincent, 2015. "Technological advancement through imitation by industry incumbents in strategic alliances," Chapters, in: Charlie Karlsson & Urban Gråsjö & Sofia Wixe (ed.), Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy, chapter 3, pages 65-88, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:eechap:15906_3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.elgaronline.com/view/9781783477319.00010.xml
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karlsson, Charlie & Gråsjö, Urban & Wixe, Sofia, 2014. "Innovation and entrepreneurship in the global economy," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 385, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    2. Sergey Anokhin & Joakim Wincent & Erkko Autio, 2011. "Operationalizing opportunities in entrepreneurship research: use of data envelopment analysis," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 39-57, July.
    3. Gary Dushnitsky & J. Myles Shaver, 2009. "Limitations to interorganizational knowledge acquisition: the paradox of corporate venture capital," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(10), pages 1045-1064, October.
    4. Joel A. C. Baum & Tony Calabrese & Brian S. Silverman, 2000. "Don't go it alone: alliance network composition and startups' performance in Canadian biotechnology," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 267-294, March.
    5. 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..
    6. Sergey Anokhin & Joakim Wincent, 2012. "Start-up rates and innovation: A cross-country examination," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(1), pages 41-60, January.
    7. Niels Bosma & Erik Stam & Veronique Schutjens, 2011. "Creative destruction and regional productivity growth: evidence from the Dutch manufacturing and services industries," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 401-418, May.
    8. Koellinger, Ph.D., 2008. "The Relationship between Technology, Innovation, and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence on E-Business in Europe," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2008-031-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    9. Jing Zhang & Charles Baden‐Fuller, 2010. "The Influence of Technological Knowledge Base and Organizational Structure on Technology Collaboration," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 679-704, June.
    10. Christensen, Jens Froslev & Olesen, Michael Holm & Kjaer, Jonas Sorth, 2005. "The industrial dynamics of Open Innovation--Evidence from the transformation of consumer electronics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1533-1549, December.
    11. Bruce Hollingsworth, 2004. "Non Parametric Efficiency Measurement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(496), pages 307-311, June.
    12. Henry Tulkens & Philippe Eeckaut, 2006. "Nonparametric Efficiency, Progress and Regress Measures For Panel Data: Methodological Aspects," Springer Books, in: Parkash Chander & Jacques Drèze & C. Knox Lovell & Jack Mintz (ed.), Public goods, environmental externalities and fiscal competition, chapter 0, pages 395-429, Springer.
    13. 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.
    14. Chang, Erick P.C. & Chrisman, James J. & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2011. "The relationship between prior and subsequent new venture creation in the United States: A county level analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 200-211, March.
    15. Dushnitsky, Gary & Lenox, Michael J., 2006. "When does corporate venture capital investment create firm value?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 753-772, November.
    16. Bruce Kogut, 1991. "Joint Ventures and the Option to Expand and Acquire," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(1), pages 19-33, January.
    17. Rothaermel, Frank T., 2001. "Complementary assets, strategic alliances, and the incumbent's advantage: an empirical study of industry and firm effects in the biopharmaceutical industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1235-1251, October.
    18. Mary Tripsas, 1997. "Unraveling The Process Of Creative Destruction: Complementary Assets And Incumbent Survival In The Typesetter Industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 119-142, July.
    19. Nadiri, M Ishaq, 1970. "Some Approaches to the Theory and Measurement of Total Factor Productivity: A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 1137-1177, December.
    20. Walter, Achim & Auer, Michael & Ritter, Thomas, 2006. "The impact of network capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation on university spin-off performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 541-567, July.
    21. Robert M. Grant & Charles Baden‐Fuller, 2004. "A Knowledge Accessing Theory of Strategic Alliances," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 61-84, January.
    22. Dean, Thomas J. & Meyer, G. Dale, 1996. "Industry environments and new venture formations in U.S. manufacturing: A conceptual and empirical analysis of demand determinants," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 107-132, March.
    23. Anokhin, Sergey & Wincent, Joakim, 2014. "Technological arbitrage opportunities and interindustry differences in entry rates," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 437-452.
    24. Gary Dushnitsky & Michael J. Lenox, 2005. "When do firms undertake R&D by investing in new ventures?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(10), pages 947-965, October.
    25. Colombo, Massimo G. & Grilli, Luca & Piva, Evila, 2006. "In search of complementary assets: The determinants of alliance formation of high-tech start-ups," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1166-1199, October.
    26. John Hagedoorn, 1993. "Understanding the rationale of strategic technology partnering: Interorganizational modes of cooperation and sectoral differences," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 371-385, July.
    27. Giarratana, Marco S., 2004. "The birth of a new industry: entry by start-ups and the drivers of firm growth: The case of encryption software," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 787-806, July.
    28. McDonald, John, 2009. "Using least squares and tobit in second stage DEA efficiency analyses," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(2), pages 792-798, September.
    29. Nishimizu, Mieko & Page, John M, Jr, 1982. "Total Factor Productivity Growth, Technological Progress and Technical Efficiency Change: Dimensions of Productivity Change in Yugoslavia, 1965-78," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(368), pages 920-936, December.
    30. Toby E. Stuart, 2000. "Interorganizational alliances and the performance of firms: a study of growth and innovation rates in a high‐technology industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(8), pages 791-811, August.
    31. Richard C. Levin & Alvin K. Klevorick & Richard R. Nelson & Sidney G. Winter, 1987. "Appropriating the Returns from Industrial Research and Development," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 18(3, Specia), pages 783-832.
    32. Rothaermel, Frank T. & Deeds, David L., 2006. "Alliance type, alliance experience and alliance management capability in high-technology ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 429-460, July.
    33. Yih-Chyi Chuang & Chi-Mei Lin, 1999. "Foreign direct investment, R&D and spillover efficiency: Evidence from Taiwan's manufacturing firms," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 117-137.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anokhin, Sergey & Morgan, Todd & Schulze, William & Wuebker, Robert, 2022. "Is a reputation for misconduct harmful? Evidence from corporate venture capital," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 65-76.

    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. Anokhin, Sergey & Wincent, Joakim, 2014. "Technological arbitrage opportunities and interindustry differences in entry rates," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 437-452.
    2. Colombo, Massimo G. & Grilli, Luca & Piva, Evila, 2006. "In search of complementary assets: The determinants of alliance formation of high-tech start-ups," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1166-1199, October.
    3. Partanen, Jukka & Kohtamäki, Marko & Patel, Pankaj C. & Parida, Vinit, 2020. "Supply chain ambidexterity and manufacturing SME performance: The moderating roles of network capability and strategic information flow," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    4. Massimo Colombo & Liliana Doganova & Evila Piva & Diego D’Adda & Philippe Mustar, 2015. "Hybrid alliances and radical innovation: the performance implications of integrating exploration and exploitation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 696-722, August.
    5. Van de Vrande, Vareska & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Duysters, Geert, 2009. "Additivity and complementarity in external technology sourcing: The added value of corporate venture capital investments," MPRA Paper 26419, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2010.
    6. Kavusan, K., 2015. "Essays on capability development through alliances," Other publications TiSEM 8eb736a5-b217-4718-ac13-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Fangqing Wei & Yi Yang & Yao Chen & Feng Yang, 2022. "The effects of venture capital investments on industrial innovative opportunities and technological arbitrage opportunities," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 2261-2280, April.
    8. Basu, Sandip & Phelps, Corey & Kotha, Suresh, 2011. "Towards understanding who makes corporate venture capital investments and why," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 153-171, March.
    9. van de Vrande, Vareska & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Duysters, Geert, 2009. "External technology sourcing: The effect of uncertainty on governance mode choice," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 62-80, January.
    10. Tony W. Tong & Yong Li, 2011. "Real Options and Investment Mode: Evidence from Corporate Venture Capital and Acquisition," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 659-674, June.
    11. Lopez, Henry & Vanhaverbeke, Wim, 2009. "How innovation intermediaries are shaping the technology market? An analysis of their business model," MPRA Paper 27016, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2010.
    12. Stienstra, Miranda, 2020. "The determinants and performance implications of alliance partner acquisition," Other publications TiSEM 7fdee0c2-d4d2-4f5b-95e3-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Bei, Xiaoshu, 2019. "Trademarks, specialized complementary assets, and the external sourcing of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    14. John Hagedoorn & Boris Lokshin & Stéphane Malo, 2018. "Alliances and the innovation performance of corporate and public research spin-off firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 763-781, April.
    15. Veer, Theresa & Yang, Philip & Riepe, Jan, 2022. "Ventures' conscious knowledge transfer to close partners, and beyond: A framework of performance, complementarity, knowledge disclosure, and knowledge broadcasting," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3).
    16. Wadhwa, Anu & Phelps, Corey & Kotha, Suresh, 2016. "Corporate venture capital portfolios and firm innovation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 95-112.
    17. Schwiebacher, Franz, 2013. "Does fragmented or heterogeneous IP ownership stifle investments in innovation?," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-096, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    18. Park, Gunno & Kim, Marco JinHwan & Kang, Jina, 2015. "Competitive embeddedness: The impact of competitive relations among a firm's current alliance partners on its new alliance formations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 196-208.
    19. David H. Hsu, 2006. "Venture Capitalists and Cooperative Start-up Commercialization Strategy," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(2), pages 204-219, February.
    20. Jaideep Anand & Raffaele Oriani & Roberto S. Vassolo, 2010. "Alliance Activity as a Dynamic Capability in the Face of a Discontinuous Technological Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(6), pages 1213-1232, December.

    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:elg:eechap:15906_3. 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: Darrel McCalla (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.e-elgar.com .

    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.