Title: External linkages and technological innovation: (some) topical issues

Authors: Jose A.B. Assis

Addresses: DMS, INETI, Est. Paco do Lumiar, 22 Edif. K3, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: In recent years, industrial collaboration has been defined in a very flexible way by a large number of researchers and scientists from various disciplinary areas. As a consequence, although widely studied, industrial cooperation still remains a very complex issue. To try to bring about a deeper comprehension of how external linkages can contribute to innovatory activity, this article concentrates on a detailed, although far from exhaustive, survey of the relevant literature on technological collaboration, centring on its growing importance, the main reasons leading to cooperation, its advantages and disadvantages, and the focus and forms of industrial collaboration. The role of trustful partnerships is also analysed, since they may turn out to be a crucial element of competitiveness, bearing in mind that trust encourages and reinforces effective inter-firm linkages.

Keywords: cooperation in industrial innovation; external linkages of firms; formal networking; informal networking; management of technological innovation; trust.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2003.002226

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2003 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.151-175

Published online: 12 Aug 2003 *

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