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The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the empirical literature on inter‐organizational R&D collaborations in order to highlight the tendencies in research methodologies so far and to identify possible future research directions.

The literature review is based on a bibliographical search of a number of academic search engines. These sources include all the major management, organizational behavior, marketing, engineering, sociology, and psychology journals, thus ensuring a thorough search on the topic of inter‐organizational R&D. The review includes papers from 1995 to 2010.

The main focus of research on inter‐organizational R&D is on innovation performance enablers, organizational and coordination aspects, and knowledge exchange. The vast majority of which is based on snapshot studies at the management or firm level of analysis that leave open questions regarding the actual inter‐organizational innovation practices. To fill the gap evidenced in the literature, the author concludes that longitudinal qualitative micro‐level research would help to expand existing knowledge on the practices in inter‐organizational R&D.

The paper proposes a practice‐based research framework for future studies of inter‐organizational R&D, in order to gain a better understanding of the social dynamics of such collaborations.

This paper focuses on empirical research in the area of inter‐organizational R&D, and links the methodological approaches used to the limitations in the knowledge base of the topic.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the interaction process between organizations of a knowledge network as a means to promote learning. In particular, the authors aim to answer the following research questions: how do dyadic and network relationships contribute to inter-organizational creation and transfer of knowledge? More specifically, which joint activities between organizations facilitate inter-organizational learning within a knowledge network? That is, the authors are interested in the relationship processes for inter-organisational learning, aiming to identify and understand the joint activities through which organizations within an institutional network generate and transfer knowledge.

Aiming at studying how six institutional actors generate and transfer knowledge, the existing dyadic relationships between a focal actor (a technological center of the textile and clothing industry – CITEVE) and each one of the other five institutional actors were studied. In the study of this knowledge network the authors analyzed several documental sources and carried out 19 interviews.

This study shows how dyadic and network relationships contribute to inter-organisational creation and transfer of knowledge. It assesses several joint activities through which organizations in the studied network learn with each other and compares the five dyadic relationships in terms of their distinctive features. Through the cooperative effort based on joint activities between actors, the studied network generates complementary and multidisciplinary knowledge aiming to promote network learning of the studied organizations. Management implications and suggestions for further research on network learning are discussed.

This paper adds to the literature on network learning and management by empirically illustrating how a network of organizations in a given industry contributes to knowledge generation. It is an original contribution because, first, it allows a better understanding of how organizations of a knowledge network interact and contribute for network learning. In particular, the paper identifies a large number of joint activities for inter-organizational learning in the context of a traditional industry. Second, the research shows empirically how such interaction and learning occur in practice within a network context that comprises only institutional actors.

Based on the growing interest devoted to knowledge management (KM) in inter-organizational contexts, the purpose of this paper is to systematize existing literature and understand how it developed over time, thus tracing its roots and evolution to unveil gaps and suggest new promising areas for future research.

This study used bibliographic techniques to analyze a sample of 85 studies along three main periods (1998-2010, 2011-2014 and 2015-2019). In particular, this study focused on co-occurrences of keywords to identify the most dominant themes, as well as connections among these themes.

Overall, the review shows the main outlets that have published papers on the topic of KM in inter-organizational contexts, as well as the theoretical background this research builds on. The temporal analysis exhibits the core topics that have persisted and grown consistently over time as the links between KM, innovation and networks. In addition, the review highlights new emerging themes, such as the human and social side of KM, and new interesting contexts of study (e.g. coopetition and open/user innovation), which opens exciting avenues for new research opportunities.

This study illustrates the conceptual structure of the field in three distinct periods and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the key topics and their interrelatedness within the area of KM in inter-organizational contexts. Both researchers and practitioners can profit from the study because it reveals consolidated topics while identifying areas that still need to be investigated to foster KM in inter-organizational settings.

This study aims to investigate how the inter-organizational learning (inter-OL) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) promote intra-organizational learnings (intra-OL) and how inter- and intra-OL jointly promote organizational innovation in the Korean electronics industry. This study also examines the moderating effect of organizational dynamism.

A unique theoretical model shows how inter-OL promotes organizational innovation through intra-OL, knowledge flows and stocks. Data was collected from 201 SMEs in the Korean electronics industry and analyzed by structural equation modeling.

The findings show that inter-OL directly and indirectly influences innovation. Inter-OL promotes both knowledge flows and stocks, but the only feedforward flows influence innovation through knowledge stocks while feedback flows directly influence innovation. Additionally, the study finds an indirect effect of inter-OL on knowledge stocks and a strong direct effect on innovation when dynamism is high. Intra-OL activities fully mediate between inter-OL and innovation when dynamism is low.

This study uses single informants to measure all constructs. Future studies should use multiple informants.

This study shows that OL in SMEs is shaped by internal processes and external collaborations. Maintaining a connection with various external knowledge sources and creating collaborative opportunities to share learning experiences is critical to innovation.

This study is the first to empirically examine the relationship between inter- and intra-OL activities within a conceptual framework. The study provides a strategic view of how to facilitate OL activities considering the degree of organizational dynamism.

This paper explores how learning processes supported by intensive use of design can favour absorptive capacity in open innovation contexts characterised by the interaction of a high number of diverse stakeholders.

The paper combines the insights from theory with the empirical evidence gathered by adopting a case study approach.

Findings provide evidence about the role of design-based learning to facilitate intra- and inter-organisational knowledge flows and to sustain absorptive capacity through processes of recognition, internalisation and adoption.

The study integrates currently distinct research streams focussing on (1) design research, particularly on how design can support knowledge processes and specific learning processes and (2) open innovation, particularly regarding how to enhance absorptive capacity in those contexts in which a high number of diverse stakeholders interact.

This study can help companies, research institutions and other organisations leveraging open innovation to reflect on the potential of design-based learning processes and on how to deliberately facilitate such processes in their projects.

The original contribution provided by this study is to explore open innovation through some analytical categories elaborated in design research concerning materially grounded forms of design-based learning. In particular, the study investigates how design supports knowledge transfer, sharing, translation and creation.

This paper aims to focus on how different types of knowledge are exchanged within innovation networks in the German energy industry. External factors such as market pressure through liberalization, de-carbonization and decentralization challenge established actors in the industry. Answers to these challenges cannot be found by single actors but require networks to gather and concentrate innovation activities. This implies a need for knowledge transfer among energy providers. The authors aim at exploring knowledge exchange relations in-depth by treating them as multidimensional flows which can comprise technological, market, managerial or regulatory knowledge. In detail, the authors examine patterns of knowledge exchange on network-, dyad- and firm-level. Furthermore, first, empiric results are provided on how two of these patterns, namely, a firm’s propensity to form multiplex instead of uniplex ties as well as the composition of externally acquired knowledge concerning the four types, influence organizational innovativeness.

The authors address their research questions by conducting an in-depth investigation of the largest network of municipal utilities in Germany. The analysis is based on quantitative data collected via standardized online questionnaires drawing on socio-metric methods to reconstruct knowledge exchange networks as well as traditional approaches from socio-empiric research to evaluate firm innovativeness.

The findings indicate that while technological, market, managerial and regulatory knowledge represent different types of knowledge with different exchange patterns, these transfers are interdependent. In particular, the analysis reveals non-hierarchical relations of complementarity. The authors furthermore provide evidence for the existence of ideal profiles for attaining different types of innovation. One central tendency across all of these profiles is that outperformers acquire regulatory knowledge to a significantly lesser degree than other firms and focus more on the other types instead.

This paper solely focusses on the largest network of municipal utilities whereby it is questionable how representative it is for the whole industry. Additionally, due to the cross-sectional design, the paper cannot fully rule out issues of endogeneity in the quantitative analysis.

This paper delivers valuable insights for managers in the energy sector who seek to either enter and manage inter-organizational networks or apply external knowledge to foster innovation. In particular, the authors reveal benchmark profiles for external knowledge acquisition which may serve as templates for strategic collaboration and innovation management.

To the authors’ knowledge, this paper presents the first innovation-related network analysis in the energy industry. Rather than operationalizing knowledge transfer as a simplex flow relation, the authors examine different types of knowledge, their patterns of exchange and their distinct effects on process, product and administrative innovations.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze important theoretical work conducted in the research streams of coopetition dynamics and knowledge flows in the area of start-up entrepreneurship. The authors see in practice that venture capital (VC) firms are a highly essential component of the environment that gives birth to entrepreneurial ventures, helping them to grow profoundly. Interorganizational collaborations facilitate VC firms to be a beneficial partner because except for providing funding, they also possess knowledge-based resources to support the new business.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted, using relevant keywords and academic databases. Then, the backward search was implemented to examine the references of the selected papers, and finally, the forward search to explore the citations of the selected papers. After the selection of papers, they were classified according to their content. A thorough search of the extant literature was done in Scopus and Google Scholar using a combination of keywords such as coopetition, knowledge flows, VC firms, interorganizational and inter-firm knowledge dynamics.

This paper highlights the capability of venture capitalists and provides insights as to how knowledge transfer and sharing between VC firms affect new venture’s growth and prosperity.

This paper attempts to provide new perspectives and explore the significance of interorganizational coopetition and knowledge transfer and sharing between VC firms when they take part in the support and development of new ventures (e.g. start-ups). A theoretical model is proposed via the coopetition dynamics and inter-firm knowledge flows in the VC sector framework.

This paper adds to the existing theoretical knowledge and underlines the topic of interorganizational coopetition and knowledge flows between VC firms. This is the first attempt, on the one hand, to link inter-firm knowledge flows and new venture development, while on the other to examine the dynamics between VC firms and the collective contribution for the growth of start-ups.

Building on theories of inter-organizational knowledge flows and social network, we explored how two types of collaboration network embeddedness (NE) (i.e. structural embeddedness (SE) and relational embeddedness (RE)) drive firms' inbound and outbound open innovation (OI) practices from a knowledge flow perspective, and further examined these relationships are to what extent contingent on network inertia (NI).

In this empirical research, the authors collected a sample of patents in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the period of 2000–2018. Then the authors examined the direct roles of SE and RE in collaboration networks on firms' inbound and outbound OI practices from a knowledge flow perspective, and the moderating role of NI by using negative binomial regression.

Empirical results from our study of 96 firms showed that both bridging structural holes position in collaboration networks (i.e. SE) and having stronger tie strength (i.e. RE) would positively affects firms' inbound OI practices, whereas only having stronger tie strength in collaboration networks (i.e. RE) would facilitate outbound OI practices. In addition, NI strengthens the relationships between SE and firm OI practice, but weakens the positive roles of RE on firm OI practice.

This empirical research provides new insights into whether and how firms can grasp the benefits of collaboration NE to conduct OI activities by exploring NI contingencies. It further sheds lights on the scope of the NE–OI issue from a knowledge flow perspective by extending its research context to UAV industry.

The purpose of this paper is to raise an empirical question: whether a non‐exclusive licensing for a technological exchange contributes to the firm's performance better than an exclusive licensing (closed) structure.

Data from 343 pharmaceutical firms were used to test effects of these exclusive versus non‐exclusive modes (attention‐structures) on inter‐firm knowledge flow and the firm's performance. Logistic regression was used to analyze the evidence.

The results revealed that the firm that used non‐exclusive licensing more than exclusive modes performs better. The performance was measured in two ways: efficiencies and returns, both on assets and on investment. It appears that non‐exclusive licensing is contributing more to the firm's overall performance than an exclusive licensing. This paper makes an argument in favour of an open attention‐structure.

The study is limited to one sector; it can be extended to other industrial sectors. Modes of governance can be extended to internalization or equity investment. The study is also limited to cross‐section analysis. Temporal factors can provide better insights. Knowledge type and its scope are also likely to influence the outcome. These areas provide opportunities for future research.

The study emphasises that structures may precede technologies. Therefore, relevant institutions need to be considered in favour of a non‐exclusive attention‐structure. These findings may be relevant for future research and practice or policy making.

This paper extends the literature by supporting the argument that the usage of knowledge can increase its value to all relevant stakeholders. It provides empirical evidence to indicate that relatively open systems are better for high technology sectors. The study is likely to provide a solution, as well as trigger contentions, in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a conceptual framework to analyze how inter-organizational knowledge sharing facilitates enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation.

Data were collected from a 2014 survey on 283 Chinese companies. Structural equation modeling was used to test the structural model of the framework.

The results of the study indicated that organizational preparedness (in terms of internal culture, organizational structure, availability of resources, and technological capabilities), positive benefits and costs perception, and external influences (in terms of environmental uncertainty, competitive pressure, and partner readiness) would facilitate inter-organizational knowledge sharing, which in turn, would enhance ERP implementation effectiveness.

Convenience samples from an author’s MBA classes were used in the survey, and a single respondent from each organization answering all questions for such complicated issues also posed the risk of measurement bias and inaccuracy.

The study provided evidences to practitioners about how organizations should collaborate with supply chain partners at a full scale in knowledge generation, maintenance, dissemination, and application in order to enhance their effectiveness on ERP implementation.

ERP projects are predominately observed in existing research as internal initiatives that companies take independently within their own organizational boundaries. This study represents one of the early large-scale empirical efforts to investigate ERP implementation from an inter-firm supply chain collaboration perspective. Additional contribution includes some interesting empirical evidences on the current state of ERP utilization in the Chinese market.