TY - CHAP
T1 - The challenge of managing knowledge in innovative organizations
T2 - Internal versus external knowledge acquisition
AU - Deverell, Andrea
AU - Lassen, Astrid Heidemann
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Ideas are no longer generated solely within a firm's internal boundaries but also sourced from the external knowledge environment. Therefore, firms can no longer rely solely on internal knowledge to develop new ideas or solve problems. This paper is based on empirical research which investigates different knowledge acquisition strategies utilized by firms during the innovation process. It suggests that there is a relationship between the kind of innovative activity (cumulative or radical) and the sourcing of knowledge (i.e., the internal and/or external environment). Two hypotheses are derived from the literature and tested empirically. These hypotheses are based on the premise that cumulative type organizations focus primarily on internal knowledge or existing core competencies within the firm and are less likely to scan the external environment for ideas and knowledge, whereas radical type organizations are continually pushing out the boundaries of knowledge and replacing existing core competencies with new ideas and knowledge and are therefore predisposed toward utilizing external knowledge. The research findings confirm the hypotheses and enable the development of a third dimension based on a dual ability to focus on both cumulative and radical innovation aligned with the most appropriate knowledge acquisition strategy.
AB - Ideas are no longer generated solely within a firm's internal boundaries but also sourced from the external knowledge environment. Therefore, firms can no longer rely solely on internal knowledge to develop new ideas or solve problems. This paper is based on empirical research which investigates different knowledge acquisition strategies utilized by firms during the innovation process. It suggests that there is a relationship between the kind of innovative activity (cumulative or radical) and the sourcing of knowledge (i.e., the internal and/or external environment). Two hypotheses are derived from the literature and tested empirically. These hypotheses are based on the premise that cumulative type organizations focus primarily on internal knowledge or existing core competencies within the firm and are less likely to scan the external environment for ideas and knowledge, whereas radical type organizations are continually pushing out the boundaries of knowledge and replacing existing core competencies with new ideas and knowledge and are therefore predisposed toward utilizing external knowledge. The research findings confirm the hypotheses and enable the development of a third dimension based on a dual ability to focus on both cumulative and radical innovation aligned with the most appropriate knowledge acquisition strategy.
KW - Agility and resilience
KW - Knowledge acquisition
KW - Radical and cumulative innovation
KW - Technology transfer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845518128&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/0-387-34410-1_11
DO - 10.1007/0-387-34410-1_11
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:33845518128
SN - 0387344098
SN - 9780387344096
T3 - IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
SP - 157
EP - 178
BT - The Transfer and Diffusion of Information Technology for Organizational Resilience
A2 - Donnellan, Brian
A2 - Larsen, Tor
A2 - Levine, Linda
A2 - DeGross, Janice
ER -