Generic knowledge strategies in the US pharmaceutical industry

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Bierly, P; Chakrabarti, A
• 署名单位: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.4250171111
• 发表日期: 1996
• 页码: 123-135
• 关键词: organizational learning; knowledge strategies; STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT; technology management; Pharmaceutical industry

摘要

The purpose of this study is to identify groups of firms with similar generic knowledge strategies, determine how these strategies change over time, and compare profit margins of the groups. Knowledge strategies of 21 U.S. pharmaceutical firms are analyzed from 1977 to 1991. Cluster analysis is used to group firms over different time periods based on: (a) balance between internal and external learning, (b) preference for radical or incremental learning, (c) learning speed, and (d) breadth of knowledge base. Our findings indicate that there are four generic knowledge strategy groups: 'Explorers', 'Exploiters', 'Loners', and 'Innovators'. Most firms remain in the same knowledge group over time. The firms in the 'Innovator' and 'Explorer' groups tend to be more profitable than the firms in the 'Exploiter' and 'Loner' groups.