Title: Strategic integration of knowledge in Indian pharmaceutical firms: creating competencies for innovation

Authors: Kalpana Chaturvedi, Joanna Chataway

Addresses: Development, Policy and Practice, Faculty of Technology, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. ' ESRC INNOGEN Research Centre, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK

Abstract: Trade liberalisation and changes in the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) have fashioned new dynamics in the pharmaceutical industry across the globe. Firms are forced to bring changes to their research, innovation, technology and marketing practices by a reconfiguration of their competencies and resources. The most common strategic concern that Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) has raised for Indian firms is the perceived need for R&D and technological strength. For firms that have given little attention to research and innovation in the past, this transition is very difficult. Indian firms have responded to these changes in novel and complex ways. Employing firm-level case studies, this paper examines the contemporary strategic approaches adopted by Indian leaders for integrating new knowledge and capabilities in order to develop innovation competencies for tomorrow. Using empirical evidence from firm-level investigations, this paper shows how Indian firms are evolving from reverse engineering outfits catering to domestic market to technologically advanced and sophisticated organisations capable of catering to diverse markets.

Keywords: knowledge integration; innovation competencies; Indian pharmaceutical firms; strategies; India; Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; TRIPs; R&D; research and development; pharmaceutical industry; knowledge management; business innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2006.011087

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2006 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.27 - 50

Published online: 13 Oct 2006 *

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