Title: Patterns of knowledge conversion: effects on the degree of novelty in project-based alliances

Authors: Ricarda B. Bouncken; Sascha Kraus

Addresses: Chair of Strategic Management and Organisation, University of Bayreuth, Prieserstr. 2, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany ' Institute for Entrepreneurship, University of Liechtenstein, Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse, FL-9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Abstract: Beneath other functions, alliances are understood to promote firms' innovative capacity. Nevertheless, what remains as unexplored is how specific deep-level inter-firm patterns of collaboration influence the degree to which alliance partners' products and services are novel. By drawing on the quality of the relationship and the degree of overlapping mental maps between the collaborating firms, the paper depicts a model of three major mechanisms that describe the form of learning in collaboration. By these distinct patterns: combination, diffusion, and genesis we also give insights in the tension between collaboration and competition in multi-partner product innovation alliances. The findings were derived from 25 case studies of project-based alliances between web-design agencies.

Keywords: knowledge conversion patterns; project-based alliances; innovation; collaboration; strategic alliances; innovative capacity; relationship quality; mental maps; organisational learning; combination; diffusion; genesis; competition; product innovation; web design agencies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2016.077615

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2016 Vol.8 No.2, pp.119 - 142

Received: 26 Jul 2014
Accepted: 04 Aug 2014
Published online: 07 Jul 2016 *

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