Changes in the competitive environment, globalization and the fast technological
innovation rate of today have called for a shift in the corporate mindset of industrial
firms. The traditional closed model of research and development (R&D) inside the
firms’ boundaries, which optimally ends with a regular commercialization of the
invented product, has increasingly been challenged (Chesbrough, 2003). The
emerged concept of the open innovation paradigm comprises corporate activities of
either acquiring external knowledge or exploiting internal knowledge besides the
traditional ways of product commercialization. The latter refers to knowledge exploitation
or more specifically to external technology commercialization (ETC)
(Lichtenthaler & Ernst, 2007) and represents the core field of this study.
The increased interest in ETC across industries is a trend stemming from industrial
and managerial practice rather than from theory (Lichtenthaler, 2010a). However,
more and more contributions put their focus on the concept of external knowledge
exploitation and its implications (e.g. Fosfuri, 2006; Gassmann & Enkel, 2004;
Lichtenthaler, 2005, 2010b). Most of these studies either generally discuss the ETC
particularities or specifically examine licensing strategies as means of ETC and their
corporate impact. It has been argued that besides the purely financial aspects firms
have different motives for engaging in knowledge exploitation activities, such as the
access to another company’s technology portfolio (Rivette & Kline, 1999), the identification
of intellectual property infringements (Koruna, 2004) or the increase in
speed of the R&D activities by realized learning effects (Lichtenthaler & Ernst,
2007). This case study concentrates on a firm’s surroundings which affect the strategic
ETC decision from two dimensions. First, extrinsic factors which lay beyond
managerial reach, such as the industry in which the organization operates. Second,
intrinsic, strategic factors like the management of R&D activities as well as the steering
of a dedicated ETC unit are investigated.
By scrutinizing contemporary theory on open innovation, external technology commercialization
and firm characteristics, a conceptual framework will be created
which will be later challenged against the findings of a case study analysis in a large
diversified conglomerate.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Problem Statement
- Relevance of the Research Question
- Research Approach
- Outline of the Paper
- Theory, Working Propositions and Conceptual Framework
- The Open Innovation Paradigm
- Summarizing an Approach to a Holistic Open Innovation Framework
- Context of Open Innovation
- The Diversified Firm and its Boundaries
- Characteristics of the Extrinsic Determinants
- Outside-In versus Inside-Out Innovation
- Licensing-Out
- Spin-Offs
- Characteristics of the Intrinsic Determinants
- R&D Independence
- Dedicated ETC Unit
- Conceptual Framework
- Methodology
- Research Design
- Case Selection
- Data Collection
- Data Analysis
- Analyzing the Data
- Presenting the Case
- Extrinsic Determinants
- Difference among Sectors
- Sector Size
- Sector Industry
- Defining the Final Propositions for Extrinsic Determinants
- Intrinsic Determinants
- R&D Independence
- Dedicated ETC Unit
- ETC Unit and Business Unit Alignment
- Market Strategy
- Discussion and Conclusion
- Discussing the Results
- Contributions to Theory and Management
- Limitations and Further Research
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis examines external technology commercialization (ETC) within diversified firms in the context of the open innovation paradigm. The study aims to develop a conceptual framework that identifies the key determinants of successful ETC activities within a diversified industrial firm. The research focuses on understanding the influence of both extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the strategic decision-making process related to ETC. The key themes explored in the thesis include:- The role of the open innovation paradigm in shaping corporate strategy
- The impact of external knowledge exploitation on firm performance
- The importance of both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in influencing ETC decisions
- The challenges and opportunities associated with managing ETC activities within diversified organizations
- The development of a conceptual framework for understanding the determinants of ETC success
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides an overview of the research problem, its relevance, and the research approach employed in the study. The study focuses on the challenges faced by traditional research and development (R&D) models within the contemporary competitive environment. The introduction introduces the open innovation paradigm as a solution to these challenges, highlighting the growing importance of external technology commercialization (ETC) as a key aspect of this paradigm. The chapter outlines the research question and its significance in the context of existing literature on open innovation and ETC.
Chapter 2 delves into the theoretical foundations of the study, establishing the conceptual framework that will be used to analyze ETC activities within a diversified firm. The chapter explores the open innovation paradigm and its application to ETC. It outlines the context of open innovation, examining the specific characteristics of diversified firms and the external factors that influence their ETC decisions. The chapter further explores the distinction between outside-in and inside-out innovation, specifically discussing the role of licensing-out and spin-offs as forms of ETC. The chapter then focuses on the intrinsic determinants of ETC, analyzing the importance of R&D independence and dedicated ETC units within a diversified organization. The chapter concludes with the development of a conceptual framework that integrates the extrinsic and intrinsic determinants of ETC activities.
Chapter 3 discusses the research methodology used in the study, outlining the research design, case selection, data collection methods, and data analysis approach. The chapter explains the rationale behind the choice of a single case study approach and discusses the selection criteria for the case company. It provides detailed information about the data collection methods, including the identification of key informants and the types of data collected. The chapter concludes by outlining the data analysis techniques employed, emphasizing the use of qualitative coding and analysis methods.
Chapter 4 presents the results of the case study analysis, focusing on the specific determinants of ETC activities identified within the chosen company. The chapter begins by introducing the case company and its context. It then examines the impact of extrinsic determinants on the company's ETC decisions, analyzing the differences among different sectors, the role of sector size, and the influence of specific sector industries. The chapter further explores the role of intrinsic determinants, analyzing the company's approach to R&D independence, the structure and function of the dedicated ETC unit, and the alignment of the ETC unit with the company's overall business strategy. The chapter concludes by presenting the findings of the case study analysis in the context of the conceptual framework developed in Chapter 2.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The study focuses on the themes of open innovation, external technology commercialization (ETC), diversified firms, extrinsic determinants, intrinsic determinants, and conceptual framework.- Quote paper
- David Heider (Author), 2011, External Technology Commercialization in Diversified Firms in the Context of the Open Innovation Paradigm, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/190974
