Title: Technology sourcing – how biotechnology cooperation works

Authors: Stefan E.K. Picker, Jens Leker

Addresses: International Graduate School of Chemistry, University of Muenster, Corrensstrasse 36, Muenster, 48149, Germany. ' Institute of Business Administration, University of Muenster, Leonardo Campus 1, Muenster, 48149, Germany

Abstract: Using the resource-based view as theoretical background, the authors analyse the technology sourcing process of 77 cooperation projects in biotechnology. Trust and communication are found to be the most important factors in biotech cooperation. Interestingly, trust is significantly more important for European firms than for US companies. This indicates that the technology sourcing process in these countries is different. The authors also found that cooperation with universities does result in a similarly high rate of new products (of above 60%) than alliances with other firms. Furthermore, when cooperating with universities, the companies do not deem biotechnology to yield a great competitive advantage. Thus, the authors assume that the technology sourcing process is not as important for the generation of resources than the absorptive capacity.

Keywords: technology sourcing; resource-based view; RBV; cooperation management; biotechnology; empirical data; trust; communication; biotech cooperation; university-industry cooperation; universities; university cooperation; industrial collaboration; absorptive capacity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2009.025677

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2009 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.342 - 352

Published online: 23 May 2009 *

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