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arXiv · 0911.3476

Diversification and hybridization in firm knowledge bases in nanotechnologies

Eric Avenel·Anne-Violaine Favier·Simon Ma·Vincent Mangematin·Carole Rieu
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Abstract

The paper investigates the linkages between the characteristics of technologies and the structure of a firms' knowledge base. Nanotechnologies have been defined as converging technologies that operate at the nanoscale, and which require integration to fulfill their economic promises. Based on a worldwide database of nanofirms, the paper analyses the degree of convergence and the convergence mechanisms within firms. It argues that the degree of convergence in a firm's nano-knowledge base is relatively independent from the size of the firm's nano-knowledge base. However, while firms with small nano-knowledge bases tend to exploit convergence in each of their patents/publications, firms with large nano-knowledge bases tend to separate their nano-R&D activities in the different established fields and achieve diversity through the juxtaposition of the output of these independent activities

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Eric Avenel, Anne-Violaine Favier, Simon Ma, Vincent Mangematin, Carole Rieu. 2009-11-18. Diversification and hybridization in firm knowledge bases in nanotechnologies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.02.002

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