Title: Globalization through interfirm cooperation: technological anchors and temporal nature of alliances across geographical boundaries

Authors: Varghese P. George

Addresses: Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1 Amherst Street, E40-169, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Abstract: Anchored on theory of technological innovation and structural theory, and using a comprehensive dataset of US-centred global alliances for 1985-1990, the paper shows the overwhelming influence of technological intensity in the formation of interfirm alliances. This evidence enormously strengthens the open system version of the theory of technological innovation. The paper also shows that globalization manifested through cross-national alliances has become fairly stable at all levels of technological intensity. However, industry variances in globalization, where they exist, can be explained by comparative advantages of regions. The observation that domestic and foreign alliances change in tandem has serious implication for policy makers. Interfirm Cooperation at home and abroad needs to be simultaneously negotiated.

Keywords: technological innovation; structural theory; interfirm networks; cross-national alliances; interfirm cooperation; globalisation; technology management; R&D; research and development; technological intensity; geographical boundaries.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1995.025619

International Journal of Technology Management, 1995 Vol.10 No.1, pp.131 - 145

Published online: 23 May 2009 *

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