Asymmetric Technological Collaboration Between Large and Small Knowledge-Based Firms in Iran's Nanotechnology Sector in the Innovation Ecosystem

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Faculty Member, Institute of Presidential Technology Studies, Tehran, Iran.

2 Faculty Member, Faculty of Information Technology, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In recent years, due to significant changes in the business environment, most large and small firms have been forced to create asymmetric technological collaboration with each other. Although studies have been conducted in this area, most of them lack an ecosystem approach to identifying the actors involved in the process of collaboration and their role, as well as previous studies focusing on developed countries. Therefore, the present study seeks to explain the ecosystem of asymmetric technological collaboration between large industrial firms and small knowledge-based firms in the field of nanotechnology in Iran (as a developing country) through the case study method (8 cases). Data were collected through interviews with representatives of the parties and other stakeholders involved in the collaboration process, as well as a review of relevant documents. Data analysis (Thematic Analysis) led to the extraction of maps and key players and their roles in the asymmetric technological collaboration ecosystem. The most important contribution is explaining asymmetric technological collaboration between large and small knowledge-based firms in the innovation ecosystem, as well as identifying essential roles such as stimulator of large firms and trust builder.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Adner, R., & Kapoor, R. (٢٠١٠). Value creation in innovation ecosystems: How the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations. Strategic management journal, (٣), ٣٠٦-٣٣٣.
https://doi.org/١٠.١٠٠٢/smj.٨٢١
 
Ahmadvand, E., Salami, S. R., Soofi, J. B., & Tabatabaeian, S. H. (٢٠١٨). Catch-up process in nanotechnology start-ups: The case of an Iranian electrospinning firm. Technology in Society, , ١-٨. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠١٦/j.techsoc.٢٠١٨.٠٥.٠٠٥
 
Asadifard, R., & Khaledi, A. (٢٠١٩). Challenges of asymmetric technological collaboration between large companies and nanotechnology startups [In Persian].
 
Journal of Science and Technology Policy, (٣), ١٥-٣٠. https://jstp.nrisp.ac.ir/article_١٣٧٣٣.html
 
Bogers, M., Zobel, A.-K., Afuah, A., Almirall, E., Brunswicker, S., Dahlander, L., Frederiksen, L., Gawer, A., Gruber, M., Haefliger, S., Hagedoorn, J., Hilgers, D., Laursen, K., Magnusson, M. G., Majchrzak, A., McCarthy, I. P., Moeslein, K. M., Nambisan, S., Piller, F. T., Radziwon, A., Rossi-Lamastra, C., Sims, J., & Ter Wal, A. L. G. (٢٠١٧). The open innovation research landscape: Established perspectives and emerging themes across different levels of analysis. Industry and Innovation, (١), ٨-٤٠. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠٨٠/١٣٦٦٢٧١٦.٢٠١٦.١٢٤٠٠٦٨
 
Bosch-Sijtsema, P. M., & Bosch, J. (٢٠١٥). Plays nice with others? Multiple ecosystems, various roles and divergent engagement models. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, (٨), ٩٦٠-٩٧٤. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠٨٠/٠٩٥٣٧٣٢٥.٢٠١٥.١٠٣٨٢٣١
 
Brigl, M., Hong, M., Roos, A., Schmieg, F., & Wu, X. (٢٠١٦). Corporate venturing shifts gears: How the largest companies apply a broad set of tools to speed innovation. The Boston Consulting Group. https://b٢n.ir/w٠٠١٥٠
 
Brunswicker, S., & Chesbrough, H. (٢٠١٨). The adoption of open innovation in large firms: Practices, measures, and risks A survey of large firms examines how firms approach open innovation strategically and manage knowledge flows at the project level. Research-Technology Management, (١), ٣٥-٤٥. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠٨٠/٠٨٩٥٦٣٠٨.٢٠١٨.١٣٩٩٠٢٢
 
Christensen, J. L., Schibany, A., & Vinding, A. L. (٢٠٠١). Collaboration between manufacturing firms and knowledge institutions on product development: Evidence
 
(زاب یروآون ه‌مان‌هژیو) ١٤٠١ ناتسبات / ٢ هرامش /م‌هد هرود /یروانف ه‌عسوت ت‌یریدم ه‌مانلصف ١٥٠
 
from harmonised surveys in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Norway and Spain.
 
Innovative Networks, Co-Operation in National Innovation Systems, ٢٥٣-٢٧ . https://b٢n.ir/q١٧٣٨٧
 
Dedehayir, O., Mäkinen, S. J., & Ortt, J. R. (٢٠١٨). Roles during innovation ecosystem genesis: A literature review. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, ,
 
١٨-٢٩. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠١٦/J.TECHFORE.٢٠١٦.١١.٠٢٨
 
Dobbs, R., Hatami, H., Allas, T., Arab, S., & Mehtafar, A. (٢٠١٦). Iran: The $ trillion growth opportunity. McKinsey Global Institue. https://b٢n.ir/h٣٧١٣٧
 
Eisenhardt, K. M. (١٩٨٩). Building theories from case study research. Academy of management review, (٤), ٥٣٢-٥٥٠. https://doi.org/١٠.٥٤٦٥/amr.١٩٨٩.٤٣٠٨٣٨٥
 
Elahi, S., Khaledi, A., Majidpour, M., & Asadifard, R. (٢٠١٨). The analytical framework of the ecosystem of technological collaboration between large and small technology oriented companies [In Persian]. Innovation Management Journal, (١). ١-٣٢. http://www.nowavari.ir/article_٦١٨٣٩.html
 
Elahi, S., Khaledi, A., Majidpour, M., & Asadifard, R. (٢٠١٩). Driving and restraining forces technological collaboration between large and small technology based
 
firms [In Persian]. Journal of Innovation and Value Creation, (٧), ٧٩-١٠٤. http://journalie.ir/Article/٧١٣
 
Harle, N., Soussan, P., & de la Tour, A. (٢٠١٧). What deep-tech startups want from corporate partners. The Boston Consulting Group & Hello Tomorrow. https://www.ladn.eu/wp-content/uploads/٢٠١٧/٠٤/articles-de-synthese_rapport-bcg-hello-tomorrow.pdf
 
Hogenhuis, B. N., Van Den Hende, E. A., & Hultink, E. J. (٢٠١٧). Unlocking the innovation potential in large firms through timely and meaningful interactions with young ventures. International Journal of Innovation Management, (٠١), ١٧٥٠٠٠٩. https://doi.org/١٠.١١٤٢/S١٣٦٣٩١٩٦١٧٥٠٠٠٩٨
 
Iansiti, M., & Levien, R. (٢٠٠٤). Strategy as ecology. Harvard business review, (٣), ٦٨-٧٨.
 
Iyer, B., Lee, C.-H., & Venkatraman, N. (٢٠٠٦). Managing in a “small world ecosystem”:
 
Lessons from the software sector. California management review, (٣), ٢٨-٤٧. https://doi.org/١٠.٢٣٠٧/٤١١٦٦٣٤٨
 
ISTI. ٢٠١٦. Iran national innovation survey report: A review on innovative performance of knowledge-based rms [In Persian]. Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology
 
١٥١ ... ش‌خب رد ناینب‌ش‌ناد ک‌چوک و گرزب یاه‌ت‌کرش ن‌یب نراقتمان ه‌ناروانف یراکمه
 
 
Kavusan, K., Noorderhaven, N. G., & Duysters, G. M. (٢٠١٦). Knowledge acquisition and complementary specialization in alliances: The impact of technological overlap and alliance experience. Research policy, (١٠), ٢١٥٣-٢١٦٥. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠١٦/j.respol.٢٠١٦.٠٩.٠١٣
 
Khaledi, A., Elahi, S., Majidpour, M., & Asadifard, R. (٢٠٢٠). Essential factors for successful asymmetric technological collaboration between large and small firms in
 
Iran’s nanotechnology sectors [In Persian]. Innovation Management Journal, (١), ١٣٩-١٦٨. http://www.nowavari.ir/article_١٠٨١٤٢.html
 
Li, X., Zheng, Y., & Wang, C. L. (٢٠١٦). Inter-firm collaboration in new product development in Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Asia Paci c Journal of
 
Management,   (١), ١٦٥-١٩٣. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠٠٧/s١٠٤٩٠-٠١٥-٩٤٥١-y
 
Mäkinen, S. (٢٠١٤). A view on science-based start-ups as innovation ecosystems: Exploring functions of basic mechanisms [Conference presentation]. IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology. https://doi.org/١٠.١١٠٩/icmit.٢٠١٤.٦٩٤٢٤٢٩
 
Moore, J. F. (١٩٩٣). Predators and prey: a new ecology of competition. Harvard business review, (٣), ٧٥-٨٦. http://blogs.harvard.edu/jim/files/٢٠١٠/٠٤/Predators-and-Prey.pdf
 
Moschner, S.-L., & Herstatt, C. (٢٠١٧). All that glitters is not gold: How motives for open innovation collaboration with startups diverge from action in corporate accelerators
 
[Working Paper No. ١٠٢]. Econstar https://www.econstor.eu/handle/١٠٤١٩/١٧٢٢٥٧
 
Narula, R. (٢٠٠٤). R&D collaboration by SMEs: New opportunities and limitations in the face of globalisation. Technovation, (٢), ١٥٣-١٦١. https://doi.org/١٠.١٠١٦/S٠١٦٦-٤٩٧٢(٠٢)٠٠٠٤٥-٧
 
Oughton, D., Mortara, L., & Minshall, T. (٢٠١٣). Managing asymmetric relationships in open innovation: Lessons from multinational companies and SMEs.
 
Open Innovation in the Food and Beverage Industry, ٢٧٦-٢٩٣. https://doi.org/١٠.١٥٣٣/٩٧٨٠٨٥٧٠٩٧٢٤٨.٣.٢٧٦
 
Reuer, J. J., & Lahiri, N. (٢٠١٤). Searching for alliance partners: Effects of geographic distance on the formation of R&D collaborations. Organization Science, (١), ٢٨٣-٢٩٨. https://doi.org/١٠.١٢٨٧/orsc.١١٢٠.٠٨٠٥
 
Rinkinen, S., & Harmaakorpi, V. (٢٠١٨). The business ecosystem concept in innovation policy context: Building a conceptual framework. Innovation: the European journal of social science research, (٣), ٣٣٣-٣٤٩.
 
١٥٢ فصلنامه‌ مدیریت‌ توسعه‌ فناوری/ دوره دهم‌/ شماره ٢ / تابستان ١٤٠١ (ویژه‌نامه‌ نوآوری باز)
 
 
١٣٠٠٠٨٩.٢٠١٧.١٣٥١١٦١٠/١٠٨٠.١٠https://doi.org/
Nurturing business ecosystems from rm perspectives: lifecycle, .(٢٠١١) Rong, K. nurturingprocess,construct,con gurationpattern [Doctoral dissertation, University
 
٦٠٩٦٧٧of Cambridge]. EThOS. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.
Business ecosystem extension: .(٢٠١٣) Rong, K., Hu, G., Hou, J., Ma, R., & Shi, Y. Facilitating the technology substitution. International Journal of Technology
 
٠٥٦٩٠١.٢٠١٣/IJTM.١٥٠٤.١٠https://doi.org/ .٢٩٤-٢٦٨ ,(٤-٣)  Management,
Global competitiveness report .(٢٠١٧) Schwab, K., Sala-i-Martin, X., & Samans, R. -٢٠١٧.weforum.org/docs/GCR٣World Economic Forum. http://www .٢٠١٨-٢٠١٧ .pdf٩٣٢٠١٨%٨٠%٢%E٢٠١٧FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport٠٥/٢٠١٨
Science, technology & innovation policy review: Islamic .(٢٠١٦) UNCTAD.
 
Republic of Iran. https://unctad.org/publication/science-technology-and-innovation-policy-review-iran
Engaging with startups to enhance corporate .(٢٠١٥) Weiblen, T., & Chesbrough, H. W.
 
.٩٠-٦٦ ,(٢)  innovation. California management review,
 
٦٦.٢.٥٧.٢٠١٥/cmr.١٥٢٥.١٠https://doi.org/
Sage. .(٥ Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. .(٢٠٠٩) Yin, R. K.
 
Unlocking Innovation Through Startup .(٢٠١٧) Younis, Z., Desai, A., & Sigal, M.
 
Engagement: Best Practices from Leading Global Corporations. .co/unlockinginnovation٥٠٠https://go.
Collaboration in the Australian and Chinese mobile telecommunication .(٢٠١٤) Zhang,A. ٠-٤٠١٥١-٦٤٢-٣-٩٧٨/١٠٠٧.١٠markets. Springer. https://doi.org/
Journal of Technology Development Management
Volume 10, Issue 2
Special issue for open innovation
September 2022
Pages 123-152

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 09 January 2022
  • Revise Date: 14 July 2022
  • Accept Date: 16 August 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics