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Knowledge exchange and learning through international joint ventures: an Anglo-Japanese experience

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 20:30 authored by Joseph Tidd, Yasuhiko Izumimoto
In this paper we review strategies for knowledge exchange through joint ventures. Firms collaborate for a number of reasons, including the reduction of cost and risk of technological or market development, to reduce time to market and the exploitation of scale economies. We examined 12 manufacturing joint ventures in the UK co-owned by British and Japanese parents. Interviews with and a detailed survey of the British and Japanese management reveal that parent's contribute different know-how to the joint venture. Of 40 functions assessed in detail, the British parent has greater influence in Accounting and Finance and Human Resource Management functions, with the exception of investment policies which are dominated by the Japanese parent. Overall, the only functions in which the Japanese parent is significantly more influential are research and product development. We observed three types of strategic conflict between parent firms: product strategy; market strategy; and pricing policy. These are primarily the result of coupling complementary resources with divergent strategies, what we refer to as the ‘trap of complementarity’. In essence, parents with complementary resources almost inevitably have different long term strategic objectives. Too many joint ventures are established to bridge gaps in short term resources, rather than for long term strategic fit.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Technovation

ISSN

0166-4972

Issue

3

Volume

22

Page range

137-145

Pages

9.0

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Notes

The paper analyses the contributions of the English and Japanese parents to international joint ventures (IJVs) between them. Generally these accord with what is known of the respective national systems. The paper also points to a `trap of complementarity and to short-termism. Prof Tidd structured the argument and co-developed the analysis of the sample

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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