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Impact of External Knowledge Acquisition Strategies on Innovation: A Comparative Study Based on Dutch and Swiss Panel Data

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  • Spyros Arvanitis
  • Boris Lokshin
  • Pierre Mohnen
  • Martin Woerter
Abstract
In this paper we empirically investigate the impact of two external knowledge acquisition strategies—‘buy’ and ‘cooperate’—on firm’s innovation performance. Taking a direct (productivity) approach, we test for complementarity effects in the simultaneous use of the two strategies, and in the intensity of their use. Our results—based on panels of Dutch and Swiss innovating firms—suggest that while both ‘buy’ and ‘cooperate’ have a positive effect on innovation, there is little statistical evidence that using them simultaneously leads to higher innovation performance. Results from the Dutch sample provide some indication that there are positive economies of scope in doing external and cooperative R&D simultaneously. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

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  • Spyros Arvanitis & Boris Lokshin & Pierre Mohnen & Martin Woerter, 2015. "Impact of External Knowledge Acquisition Strategies on Innovation: A Comparative Study Based on Dutch and Swiss Panel Data," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 46(4), pages 359-382, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:revind:v:46:y:2015:i:4:p:359-382
    DOI: 10.1007/s11151-015-9450-7
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Damián Tojeiro-Rivero & Rosina Moreno & Erika Badillo, 2016. "“Breakthrough innovations: The impact of foreign acquisition of knowledge”," AQR Working Papers 201610, University of Barcelona, Regional Quantitative Analysis Group, revised Nov 2016.
    2. Erika & Rosina, 2016. "“Technological cooperation in Spanish firms”," IREA Working Papers 201601, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jan 2016.
    3. Xie, Xuemei & Wang, Lijun & Zeng, Saixing, 2018. "Inter-organizational knowledge acquisition and firms' radical innovation: A moderated mediation analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 295-306.
    4. Samia Nour, 2014. "The Importance (Impacts) of Knowledge at the Macro–Micro Levels in the Arab Gulf Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 5(3), pages 521-537, September.
    5. Umar Burki & Pervin Ersoy & Usama Najam, 2019. "Top Management, Green Innovations, and the Mediating Effect of Customer Cooperation in Green Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-12, February.
    6. Blind, Knut & Krieger, Bastian & Pellens, Maikel, 2022. "The interplay between product innovation, publishing, patenting and developing standards," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    7. Nour, Samia Satti Osman Mohamed, 2013. "The importance and impacts of knowledge at the macro-micro levels in the Arab Gulf countries," MERIT Working Papers 2013-016, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Spyros Arvanitis & Florian Seliger, 2014. "Imitation versus innovation," KOF Working papers 14-367, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    9. Damián Tojeiro-Rivero & Rosina Moreno & Erika Raquel Badillo, 2019. "Radical Innovations: The Role of Knowledge Acquisition from Abroad," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 55(2), pages 173-207, September.
    10. Erika Raquel Badillo & Rosina Moreno, 2014. "“Does absorptive capacity determine collaborative research returns to innovation? A geographical dimension”," IREA Working Papers 201428, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Nov 2014.
    11. Karbowski, Adam, 2016. "Współpraca badawczo-rozwojowa przedsiębiorstw: przegląd prac empirycznych [R&D Cooperation of Firms: Empirical literature review]," MPRA Paper 77698, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Jaureguy, Micaela Vidal & Bianchi, Carlos & Blanchard, Pablo, 2023. "Financial and knowledge barriers to innovation: Complementary and substitution effects on innovative effort," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(7).
    13. Andrin Spescha & Martin Woerter, 2021. "Research and development as an initiator of fixed capital investment," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 117-145, January.
    14. Sandeep Yadav & M.K. Nandakumar, 2020. "Post-M&A Innovation in Indian firms – An Empirical Investigation," Working papers 370, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    15. Berulava, George & Gogokhia, Teimuraz, 2016. "Studying Complementarities between Modes of Innovation Strategies in Transition Economies," MPRA Paper 71277, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Usama Awan & Marlen Gabriele Arnold & Ismail Gölgeci, 2021. "Enhancing green product and process innovation: Towards an integrative framework of knowledge acquisition and environmental investment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1283-1295, February.
    17. Grimpe, Christoph & Sofka, Wolfgang, 2016. "Complementarities in the search for innovation—Managing markets and relationships," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(10), pages 2036-2053.
    18. Erika Raquel Badillo & Rosina Moreno, 2018. "Does absorptive capacity determine collaboration returns to innovation? A geographical dimension," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 60(3), pages 473-499, May.
    19. Duan, Yunlong & Wang, Wannan & Zhou, Wei, 2020. "The multiple mediation effect of absorptive capacity on the organizational slack and innovation performance of high-tech manufacturing firms: Evidence from Chinese firms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    20. Tojeiro-Rivero, Damián, 2022. "What effect does the aggregate industrial R&D offshoring have on you? A multilevel study," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Open innovation; R&D collaboration; Make and buy strategies; O31; O32;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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