Title: Diversification: exploiting the flow of technology. A Swedish comparison

Authors: Soren Sjolander, Christer Oskarsson

Addresses: Dept. of Innovation Engineering and Management, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296 Goteborg, Sweden. ' Dept. of Innovation Engineering and Management, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296 Goteborg, Sweden

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the causal relationship between diversification of technology, products and markets on the one side and growth on the other. The analysis is based on a comparison of 57 large technology based firms in Europe, USA and Japan over an 11 year period between 1980 and 1990. Based on this analysis a classification of strategic diversification behaviour is made and it is shown that technology-based business extenders were the real winners in terms of growth. With this background the need for product diversification among large Swedish firms to better exploit the flow of technology is discussed.

Keywords: innovation; technology flows; strategic diversification; economic growth; Sweden; technology-based firms; diversification behaviour; product diversification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1995.025611

International Journal of Technology Management, 1995 Vol.10 No.1, pp.21 - 30

Published online: 23 May 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article