Hans van Kranenburg

Inter-Firm R&D Networks: The Importance of Strategic Network Capabilities for High-Tech Partnership Formation

We examine the role of different network capabilities of companies that influence the formation of R&D partnerships in pharmaceutical biotechnology. Strategic network capabilities, specifically centrality-based capabilities and the efficiency with which companies choose their partners, are found to facilitate the formation of new partnerships. Unlike general experience with partnering, these strategic network capabilities play a crucial role in enabling companies to continue to interact with other companies through partnerships in a complex network setting.

Growth patterns in R&D partnerships: an exploratory statistical study

Abstract This paper offers the first statistical analysis of the long-term movement in inter-firm partnerships during the period 1960–1998. Our analysis indicates a growth pattern in R&D partnering that is largely of a non-stationary nature, caused by fluctuations during the last 10 years of this time series. The further analysis of specific groups of these R&D partnerships reveals that the patterns for so-called high-tech sectors, for the leading industrial nations and for the contractual R&D partnerships follow the overall movement of these partnerships.

Multimedia, Entertainment, and Business Software Copyright Piracy: A Cross-National Study

This article examines cross-national variations in piracy of U.S. copyright-related products in the multimedia, entertainment, and software industry. To determine which economic, legal, and social factors cause the considerable differences in piracy of U.S. copyright industries products in individual countries, we tested 4 industry models. We found that for most industries piracy can be explained by the risk profile of the country involved (signaling economic and political stability and growth potential) and the existence of a strong intellectual property rights system. Furthermore, for the 4 analyzed copyright-based industries, considerable variation in piracy exists between geographic regions. This study shows that disaggregation of the copyright piracy data by industry is helpful in analyzing and understanding piracy.

Mobility and Market Structure in the Dutch Daily Newspaper Market Segments

This study analyzes how the market structure and intensity of competition in the Dutch daily newspaper industry have changed over the last decades. The industry comprises distinct market segments: national newspapers and regional ones. The dynamics in this industry are studied using a decomposed market share mobility statistic. Decomposing this statistic allows an analysis of the market share transfers of newspapers both between and within these market segments. It offers an appropriate analytical framework for the comparison of the intensity of competition in industries where geographical product differentiation is an important competitive strategic element as it is in the case of daily newspapers.This study analyzes how the market structure and intensity of competition in the Dutch daily newspaper industry have changed over the last decades. The industry comprises distinct market segments: national newspapers and regional ones. The dynamics in this industry are studied using a decomposed market share mobility statistic. Decomposing this statistic allows an analysis of the market share transfers of newspapers both between and within these market segments. It offers an appropriate analytical framework for the comparison of the intensity of competition in industries where geographical product differentiation is an important competitive strategic element as it is in the case of daily newspapers.

The strength of R&D network ties in high-tech sectors – a multi-dimensional analysis of the effects of tie strength on innovation performance

We study the effect of the tie strength of inter-firm R&D partnerships on the innovation performance of companies in four high-tech sectors (pharmaceuticals, computers, semi-conductors and telecom). Returning to Granovetters (1973) seminal contribution, tie strength is analysed through a broad multi-dimensional perspective. We find that inter-firm R&D network ties that are stronger in terms of their extent (measured by the length and multitude of R&D partnerships) and weaker in terms of their depth (the degree of cooperation and the similarity of ties of companies) improve the innovation performance of companies. Interestingly, we find strong support for the role of these R&D ties in the context of the run-of-the-mill innovation performance of companies. However, there is no support for this effect on significant innovations of companies.

Measurement of International and Product Diversification in the Publishing Industry

Corporate diversification has become an integral part of the strategy of many publishing companies. These diversification strategies may include both product diversification and international geographic diversification. This study demonstrates the diversification strategy of large-sized publishing companies. A number of measures and techniques are used to measure the diversification of these companies. We construct an additional measure to show the international diversification of the publishing companies. The findings indicate the existence of a set of common underlying dimensions or factors between a few measures, although no evidence of unidimensionality amongst all diversification measures exists. The various diversification indicators measure different aspects of diversification of publishing companies. Our data show that the publishing companies diversify into related activities and businesses and that, in particular, North American publishing companies do not diversify internationally.

Reviewing the role of stakeholders in Operational Research; A stakeholder theory perspective

The role of stakeholders in organizational decision-making is gaining more and more attention. Managers find that in order to create value sustainably and ethically, it is necessary to balance the interests of various stakeholders. This trend is reflected in the management literature, where much advancement has been made in what is known as stakeholder theory. In the founding years of stakeholder theory there was a close connection and interchange of ideas between stakeholder theorists and operational researchers. Yet in recent years, the stream of papers that includes both fields has dwindled to a trickle. This lack of theoretical integration is surprising, as Operational Research is in nature a collaborative discipline. In this paper, we discuss three topics in stakeholder theory that can inform and improve studies involving working with stakeholders in Operational Research: instrumental versus moral stakeholder theory; focusing on trade-offs versus focusing on avoiding trade-offs; and focusing on the decision-making organization versus focusing on stakeholder engagement. We then conduct a systematic review of 144 Operational Research articles on the topic ‘stakeholders’. Content analysis of these articles reveals four distinct traditions of working with stakeholders: optimizing, balancing, structuring and involving. We compare the four traditions on goals, role of the analyst, type of data used, and results. Our analysis provides the basis for recommendations to Operational Research practitioners on how to work with stakeholders.

How Media Companies Should Create Value: Innovation Centered Business Models and Dynamic Capabilities

Globalization, deregulation, technological innovation and the convergence of previously separated industries such as media, entertainment, information, and consumer electronics industries, have changed the media landscape into a turbulent environment. As a consequence of these developments, many media firms are experiencing severe challenges, as content proliferates, audiences change behaviors, advertising revenue erodes, and new competitors emerge. Media firms operating in this rapidly changing environment have to make adequate adaptations to these fast moving changes and respond quickly to create or to sustain their competitive advantage. They are generally confronted with the fact that existing resources and capabilities are no longer sufficient to deal with the new demands and requirements (Oh, Telecommunications Policy 20(9): 713–720, 1996). In order to adjust to the new environment, the media companies need to obtain, integrate, and reconfigure resources and capabilities in order to adjust to the new environment.

The formation of subsequent inter-firm R&D partnerships between large pharmaceutical companies and small, entrepreneurial biotechnology firms – how important is inter-organisational trust?

This paper analyses the role of inter-organisational trust in pharmaceutical biotechnology, an industry characterised by a strong dual market structure. Our main finding is that repeated ties in pairs of large pharmaceutical companies and small, entrepreneurial biotechnology firms, which indicate inter-organisational trust, have a negative effect on subsequent partnering. An explanation for this result is found in specific conditions for R&D partnering in this high-technology dual market structure. Partnerships between a small number of very large companies and a large group of dependent small companies are not characterised by mutual dependence and inter-organisational trust.

Tax Policy, Location Choices, and Market Structure

A structural model of entry and fiscal policy is presented. It shows that taxation of variable production costs can increase product prices, lower competition, and reduce the availability of new products in small markets. The model’s test is based on a unique nationwide fiscal experiment. We study the effects of the 1869 Stamped Paper Tax Reform Act on the market for daily newspapers in the Netherlands. The econometric analysis uses data on when and where the newspapers existed and were introduced together with demographic census data from 1859 and 1869. The results confirm the model’s predictions and show how taxation affects strategic business location decisions.