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Title
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Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity
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Author
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Abstract
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| Our study tests hypotheses concerning the relation between innovative performance and cognitive distance in inter-firm alliances. The central hypothesis is that performance is an inverted-U shaped function of cognitive distance, which implies a certain optimal cognitive distance. A second hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is higher for exploratory than for exploitative learning. A third hypothesis claims that optimal cognitive distance is a function of absorptive capacity, which depends on cumulative past R&D. Most hypotheses are confirmed on the basis of data from 994 alliances in a variety of industries, in the ten-year period 1986-1996. The results indicate a new hypothesis that with a large stock of knowledge one needs greater cognitive distance for further novelty. |
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Language
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English
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Source (book)
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65th Annual meeting of the Academy of Management, 5-10 August, 2005, Honolulu, Hawaii
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Publication
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2005
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