Social networks, learning, and flexibility: Sourcing scientific knowledge in new biotechnology firms

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Liebeskind, JP; Oliver, AL; Zucker, L; Brewer, M
• 署名单位: Hebrew University of Jerusalem; University of California System; University of California Los Angeles; University System of Ohio; Ohio State University
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.7.4.428
• 发表日期: 1996
• 页码: 428-443
• 关键词: Social networks; Organizational learning; organizational flexibility; biotechnology

摘要

We examine how two highly successful new biotechnology firms (NBFs) source their most critical input-scientific knowledge. We find that scientists at the two NBFs enter into large numbers of collaborative research efforts with scientists at other organizations, especially universities. Formal market contracts are rarely used to govern these exchanges of scientific knowledge. bur findings suggest that the use of boundary-spanning social networks by the two NBFs increases both their learning and their flexibility in ways that would not be possible within a self-contained hierarchical organization.