Managing technology as a virtual enterprise
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: R&D Management, Jahrgang 31, Nr. 3, 01.07.2001, S. 323-334.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Managing technology as a virtual enterprise
AU - Weisenfeld, Ursula
AU - Fisscher, Olaf
AU - Pearson, Alan
AU - Brockhoff, Klaus
PY - 2001/7/1
Y1 - 2001/7/1
N2 - The complexity of R&D projects and growing international competition are factors leading to more cooperation especially among small and medium-sized firms. But even large integrated firms are often not willing or able to perform the necessary amount of R&D and to cope with the uncertainty associated with radical innovations. In a virtual company, members form a network, thereby enabling projects to be pursued by combining member's resources. Specific assets of a virtual company are its flexibility and ability to handle variety. Costs of co-ordination and motivation are lowered if the virtual company succeeds in building trust and commitment. On the other hand, lack of these pose severe problems. In markets with a strong scientific-technological basis and rapid rate of change the concept of a virtual organization seems appealing. High R&D costs and risks can be shared, developments and time-to-market can be accelerated and the partners can concentrate on their respective core competencies. In the paper we use an example from the biotechnology industry as a case study and discuss some of the theoretical and practical problems that are encountered in the virtual enterprise.
AB - The complexity of R&D projects and growing international competition are factors leading to more cooperation especially among small and medium-sized firms. But even large integrated firms are often not willing or able to perform the necessary amount of R&D and to cope with the uncertainty associated with radical innovations. In a virtual company, members form a network, thereby enabling projects to be pursued by combining member's resources. Specific assets of a virtual company are its flexibility and ability to handle variety. Costs of co-ordination and motivation are lowered if the virtual company succeeds in building trust and commitment. On the other hand, lack of these pose severe problems. In markets with a strong scientific-technological basis and rapid rate of change the concept of a virtual organization seems appealing. High R&D costs and risks can be shared, developments and time-to-market can be accelerated and the partners can concentrate on their respective core competencies. In the paper we use an example from the biotechnology industry as a case study and discuss some of the theoretical and practical problems that are encountered in the virtual enterprise.
KW - Management studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035596086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1467-9310.00220
DO - 10.1111/1467-9310.00220
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 31
SP - 323
EP - 334
JO - R&D Management
JF - R&D Management
SN - 0033-6807
IS - 3
ER -