Title: Winning by timely market entry?

Authors: Anni Tuppura, Pia Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Ari Jantunen, Kaisu Puumalainen, Kalevi Kylaheiko

Addresses: Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, School of Business, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: This empirical study explores the relationship of the appropriability regime and the market-entry timing orientation of the firm. In detail, the paper studies the effect of entry-timing orientation on the firm|s innovation performance and profitability in different appropriability regimes. The study employs a survey data collected from 299 Finnish firms. The results indicate that the appropriability regime determines the firm|s possibility to gain competitive advantage related to entry timing. The firm|s orientation to move early did not appear to explain the firm|s performance by itself. According to the results, the first-mover-oriented strategy was profitable only when it was employed in a tight appropriability regime. The study contributes to the literature of first-mover advantage, and is relevant for both the academics and managers.

Keywords: entry timing; appropriability regime; first-mover advantage; FMA; technology marketing; Finland; market entry; innovation performance; profitability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2007.015749

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2007 Vol.2 No.4, pp.331 - 347

Published online: 12 Nov 2007 *

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