Social Networks, Learning, and Flexibility: Sourcing Scientific Knowledge in New Biotechnology Firms Export

@article{citeulike:5942608, abstract = {We examine how two highly successful new biotechnology firms (NBFs) source their most critical input-scientific knowledge. We find that scientists at the two NBFs enter into large numbers of collaborative research efforts with scientists at other organizations, especially universities. Formal market contracts are rarely used to govern these exchanges of scientific knowledge. Our findings suggest that the use of boundary-spanning social networks by the two NBFs increases both their learning and their flexibility in ways that would not be possible within a self-contained hierarchical organization.}, author = {Liebeskind, Julia P. and Oliver, Amalya L. and Zucker, Lynne and Brewer, Marilynn}, citeulike-article-id = {5942608}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2635102}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/2635102}, doi = {10.2307/2635102}, issn = {10477039}, journal = {Organization Science}, keywords = {biotechnology, firms, flexibility, knowledge, learning, networks, new, scientific, social, sourcing}, number = {4}, pages = {428--443}, posted-at = {2009-10-15 09:09:43}, priority = {3}, publisher = {INFORMS}, title = {Social Networks, Learning, and Flexibility: Sourcing Scientific Knowledge in New Biotechnology Firms}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2635102}, volume = {7}, year = {1996} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:5942608 L3 - citeulike-article-id:5942608 N2 - We examine how two highly successful new biotechnology firms (NBFs) source their most critical input-scientific knowledge. We find that scientists at the two NBFs enter into large numbers of collaborative research efforts with scientists at other organizations, especially universities. Formal market contracts are rarely used to govern these exchanges of scientific knowledge. Our findings suggest that the use of boundary-spanning social networks by the two NBFs increases both their learning and their flexibility in ways that would not be possible within a self-contained hierarchical organization. IS - 4 JF - Organization Science SN - 10477039 EP - 443 TI - Social Networks, Learning, and Flexibility: Sourcing Scientific Knowledge in New Biotechnology Firms PB - INFORMS VL - 7 SP - 428 KW - biotechnology KW - firms KW - flexibility KW - knowledge KW - learning KW - networks KW - new KW - scientific KW - social KW - sourcing AU - Liebeskind, Julia AU - Oliver, Amalya AU - Zucker, Lynne AU - Brewer, Marilynn PY - 1996/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2635102 ER -