Collaboration without risk: How the most innovative SMEs protect critical knowledge in joint innovation activities with partners
©2014
Textbook
101 Pages
Summary
For small firms, knowledge leakage, loss and theft are counted among the greatest risks in inter-firm collaborations. SMEs are more vulnerable, because they suffer from a number of structural disadvantages when collaborating with larger companies, and yet, they need to collaborate with external partners to overcome their lack of resources.Therefore, this study investigates how SMEs can most effectively protect critical knowledge in collaborations with external partners, for that they can prevent knowledge loss, leakage and theft, while maximizing the performance of the collaboration.This book derives valuable insights for practice and theory through a comprehensive review of existing literature and a collection and analysis of experiences from Germany’s most innovative and successful SMEs.
Excerpt
Table Of Contents
VIII
List of Tables and Figures
Tables
Exhibits
IX
List of Names and Abbreviations
Names
Abbreviations
X
11
Introduction and Research Question
1.1.
Background
.
12
13
1.2.
Research question
How do SMEs most effectively protect critical knowledge in joint in-
novation activities with external partners?
14
1.3.
Outline of this document
15
Theory
1.4.
Means of protecting critical knowledge
16
Exhibit 1: Overview of available protection mechanisms
1
1
Source: compiled by the author
17
1.4.1.
Long term (strategic) means of protection
Secrecy
Lead time
18
Complementary Assets
.
19
Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks
20
.
.
21
Human resource management
Rules and Sanctions
.
22
.
Compensation Design
.
Trust and social control
.
.
1.4.2.
Medium term (tactical) means of protection
Systematic partner selection
.
23
.
·
·
·
·
·
·
Good timing of partner integration
24
Contracts and Non-disclosure agreements
.
Lock-In
1.4.3.
Short term (operational) means of protection
Control and manipulation of information flow
25
Clear task partitioning
26
Rotating personnel
Technical means
1.4.4.
Overarching factors
Trust
.
27
28
Tacit Knowledge
Details
- Pages
- Type of Edition
- Erstausgabe
- Publication Year
- 2014
- ISBN (eBook)
- 9783954897063
- ISBN (Softcover)
- 9783954892068
- File size
- 3.8 MB
- Language
- English
- Publication date
- 2014 (January)
- Keywords
- Knowledge theft Knowledge protection Collaboration SMEs Innovation