On the explanation of horizontal, vertical and cross-sector R&D partnerships – evidence for the German industrial sector

Uschi Backes-Gellner, Frank Maass and Arndt Werner

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2005, vol. 5, issue 1/2, 103-116

Abstract: This paper investigates the determinants of inter-firm cooperation in research and development (R&D). We analyse the impact of structural and firm specific characteristics, market performance, access to resources and managerial techniques on different types of inter-firm R&D cooperation. Based on a survey of 886 enterprises in manufacturing and industry/business-related services located in Germany, we estimate several models with different types of R&D partnerships as a dependent variable to find out which types of enterprises are more or less likely to form or join either type of R&D partnership. The findings suggest that the availability and the quality of a firm's own R&D resources are common factors driving R&D cooperation in general. Differentiating between cooperation activities in R&D among enterprises on the same production level on the one hand and vertical cooperation between enterprises and suppliers/customers or cross-sector alliances between enterprises and public research institutes on the other hand, we find cooperation type specific determinants of entry. The size of a firm, its location, access to financial resources and network experience seem to be most important.

Keywords: cross-sector alliances; inter-firm cooperation; R&D cooperation; SMEs; collaboration; research and development; Germany; R&D partnerships; R&D networks; joint research activities. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijeima:v:5:y:2005:i:1/2:p:103-116

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