The Effect of Similarity and Complementarity of Knowledge on the Firms’ Alliance Intensity: A Case Study of the Biotechnology Industry

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Student of Sharif University of Technology

2 Faculty Member of Sharif University

3 Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Strategic Management The University of Sheffield

10.22104/jtdm.2024.6831.3298

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between "knowledge relatedness" and “strategic alliance formation”. The tendency to cooperate has been increasing among companies in recent decades. Strategic alliances are considered one of the main types of cooperation. In a complex environment (especially in knowledge-based industries), there are few companies that prefer to rely only on their knowledge and technical capabilities to achieve innovation goals. It seems that the degree of relatedness of the knowledge base between two firms influences their decision to enter into a strategic alliance. Knowledge relatedness is evaluated through the complementarity or similarity of the knowledge bases. In this research, we seek to clarify the relationship between “knowledge similarity” and “alliance intensity” on the one hand, and between “knowledge complementarity” and “alliance intensity” on the other hand. For this purpose, a regression model is developed. Analyzing a sample of 121 companies from the biotechnology industry between 2005 and 2010, we found a positive relationship between knowledge complementarity and firms’ alliance intensity. While the relationship between knowledge similarity and alliance intensity is not supported.

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 April 2024
  • Revise Date: 27 September 2024
  • Accept Date: 28 September 2024

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