Offshoring of R&D: Looking abroad to improve innovation performance

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Jesus Nieto, Maria; Rodriguez, Alicia
• 署名单位: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/jibs.2010.59
• 发表日期: 2011
• 页码: 345-361
• 关键词: Offshoring; Innovation and R&D; Offshore outsourcing; captive offshoring; longitudinal

摘要

The offshoring of knowledge services has become a phenomenon of increasing importance for firms, but many of its implications are yet to be discussed thoroughly. This paper analyzes whether R&D offshoring contributes to enhancing firms' innovation capabilities. Specifically, the study distinguishes between two governance models of offshoring - captive offshoring and offshore outsourcing - and two types of innovation outcomes - product and process innovations. We suggest that R&D offshoring has different impacts, depending on the innovation results and governance models considered. The study empirically tests these relationships using the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel. This survey contains information on a large sample of firms from diverse sectors for the period 2004-2007. The empirical findings allow us confirm our hypotheses, and highlight the strategic importance of R&D offshoring. The empirical evidence reveals a positive relation between offshoring and innovation performance, with a greater effect on product than on process innovations. The results for different governance models show that captive offshoring has a greater effect on innovation outcomes than offshore outsourcing. These findings lead us to conclude that firms that look overseas can benefit from location-specific and specialization advantages to improve innovation performance. Journal of International Business Studies (2011) 42, 345-361. doi:10.1057/jibs.2010.59