Abstract: Early-stage accelerators, an investment model that blends funding with a limited-duration cohort program in exchange for equity, have seen global expansion. Given the access and diversity within this closed network, accelerators have the potential for highly efficient knowledge exchange. In this study, we explore tacit knowledge transfer, new knowledge creation and the influence of social capital conditions on knowledge exchange. We conduct a series of in-depth interviews and follow cohorts of startups as they prepare for the culminating pitch to venture capitalists. Initial findings suggest a lack of cognitive social capital and prevalence of relational social capital resulting in negative influence on tacit knowledge transfer and new knowledge creation, respectively. These early results suggest opportunity for increased efficiency in knowledge exchange within the accelerator context.

Abstract: We explore the relationship between a firm’s value appropriability strategies and its collaboration with various partners for innovation creation and exploitation. Based on an original survey of British and American publicly-traded knowledge-intensive service firms, we find that over-relying on contractual mechanisms is associated with a reduction in collaboration for innovation creation with all partners; relying on formal appropriability mechanisms is associated with a positive but diminishing collaboration with clients, especially for innovation creation; relying on formal appropriability mechanisms is associated with increased collaboration with public research organisations for innovation exploitation. We also find that combinations of high levels of strategic and contractual mechanisms lead to dis-synergies with respect to firms´ collaboration with vertical partners for both the creation and exploitation of innovation.

Abstract: Developing and nurturing export-orientation can substantially corroborate SMEs’ competitiveness mainly through diversification and scale effects. Resilient firm-level performance is also perceived to be crucial for dealing with unsustainable current-account imbalances. In this vein, a growing literature investigates whether organizational innovativeness, including sourcing of innovation inputs through external collaboration or networks, promotes expansion via exports. Scholars exploring the impact of different predictors on SMEs’ export behavior are reporting controversial results. Therefore, multivariate meta-regression is applied to integrate empirical findings from 35 studies, covering almost 13,000 firms from 26 countries. Results indicate a statistically significant positive effect of innovativeness on the capacity to export. Controlling for five additional explanatory variables, e.g. sourcing inputs externally vs. internally, reveals differential impacts, while emphasizing the benefits of external sourcing.

Abstract: We address the issue of when and how technology-intensive firms respond to poor innovative performance by changing the balance of their technology-sourcing portfolio (i.e., alliance, acquisition, or go-it-alone). We advance a behavioral perspective on the make/buy/ally question, suggesting that differences in organizational slack will generate different portfolio decisions. Specifically, we posit that firms with greater levels of slack resources are more likely to respond to poor performance by opting for greater vehicle diversification and adding new sourcing vehicles, while firms with fewer slack resources will respond by downscoping their portfolio of sourcing vehicles and reverting to more familiar vehicles. We find support for our predictions using extensive data from the population of U.S. public pharmaceutical firms from 1992 through 2006.