Managing technology as a virtual enterprise

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

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.

Original languageEnglish
JournalR&D Management
Volume31
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)323-334
Number of pages12
ISSN0033-6807
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.07.2001

DOI

Recently viewed

Researchers

  1. Isabelle Fincke

Publications

  1. Manufacturing, control, and performance evaluation of a Gecko-inspired soft robot
  2. Embodiment of Science in Science Slams.
  3. Self-Compassion as a Facet of Neuroticism? A Reply to the Comments of Neff, Tóth-Király, and Colosimo (2018)
  4. Structural ambidexterity, transition processes, and integration trade‐offs: a longitudinal study of failed exploration
  5. How to assess transformative performance towards sustainable development in higher education institutions
  6. Learning linear classifiers sensitive to example dependent and noisy costs
  7. Not only biocidal products
  8. The role of the situation model in mathematical modelling
  9. Effects of grassland management, endophytic fungi and predators on aphid abundance in two distinct regions
  10. Microeconometric Studies on Firm Behavior and Performance
  11. Generalizing Trust
  12. Iconography on Scientific Instruments. Introduction
  13. Technology Implementation in Pre-Service Science Teacher Education Based on the Transformative View of TPACK: Effects on Pre-Service Teachers' TPACK, Behavioral Orientations and Actions in Practice
  14. Algorithmic Catastrophe - the Revenge of Contingency
  15. A duty-block network approach for an integrated driver rostering problem in public bus transport
  16. Towards a New Aesthetic
  17. The social dynamics of knowledge hiding
  18. Export entry, export exit, and productivity in German manufacturing industries
  19. A panel cointegrating rank test with structural breaks and cross-sectional dependence
  20. Creating a space for cooperation
  21. Active First Movers vs. Late Free-Riders? An Empirical Analysis of UN PRI Signatories' Commitment
  22. "It´s All in the Game"
  23. Usage pattern-based exposure screening as a simple tool for the regional priority-setting in environmental risk assessment of veterinary antibiotics
  24. Identifying core habitat before it's too late
  25. Creating Value from in-Vehicle Data
  26. Activity-based working
  27. Adjust for windows
  28. 'KNOW WHY' thinking as a new approach to systems thinking
  29. The Role of Network Size for the Robustness of Centrality Measures
  30. The case survey method and applications in political science
  31. Guest editorial
  32. Managing Global Production Networks
  33. Complexity Measures of Traffic Scenarios