Knowledge Integration and Innovation Critical Challenges Facing International Technology-Based Firms

Technology-based firms continue to compete primarily on innovation, and one continuously required to present new solutions to an exacting market. As technological complexity and specialization intensifies, firms increasingly need to integrate and co-ordinate knowledge by means of project groups, diversified organizations, inter-organizational partnerships, and strategic alliances. Innovation processes have progressively become interdisciplinary, collaborative, inter-organizational, and international, and a firm's ability to synthesize knowledge across disciplines, organizations, and geographical locations has a major influence on its viability and success. This book demonstrates how knowledge integration is crucial in facilitating innovation within modern firms. This book provides original, detailed empirical studies of prerequisites, mechanisms, and outcomes of knowledge integration processes on several organizational levels, from key individuals, projects, and internal organizations, to collaboration between firms. It stresses the need to understand knowledge integration as a multi-level phenomenon, which requires a broad repertoire of organizational and technical means. It further clarifies the need for strong internal capabilities for exploiting external knowledge, reveals how costs of knowledge integration affect outcomes and strategic decisions, and discusses the managerial implications of fostering knowledge integration, providing practical guidance and support for managers of knowledge integration in high technology enterprises.

Introduction. 1. Exploring Knowledge Integration and Innovation. 2. Knowledge Integration and Innovation: A Survey of the Field. Part I: People and Processes. 3. Knowledge Integration and Creation in Projects: Towards a Progressive Epistemology. 5. Inventors as Innovators and Knowledge Integrators. 6. Participants in the Process of Knowledge Integration. Part II: Projects and Partnerships. 6. Knowledge Integration Processes in New Product Development: on the Dynamics of Deadlines and Architectures. 7. Knowledge Integration in Inter-firm Raamp,D Collaboration: How do Firms Manage Problems of Coordination and Cooperation?. 8. Knowledge Integration in a P-form Corporation: Project Epochs in the Evolution of Asea/ABB 1945-2000.. Part III: Strategies and Outcomes. 9. Knowledge Integration Challenges when Outsourcing Manufacturing. 10. Trade-Offs in Make-Buy Decisions: Exploring Operating Realities of Knowledge Integration and Innovation. 11. Creative Accumulation: Integrating New and Established Technologies in Periods of Discontinuous Change. Conclusion. 12. Lessons and Insights for Managers.

Christian Berggren has written or co-authored several books on production and product development in international firms, such as The Volvo experience (MacMillan, 1992), The Resilience of Corporate Japan (Sage, 1997), Being local world-wide - ABB and the challenge of global management (Cornell, 1999), as well as many publications in journal such as Creativity and Innovation Management, Industrial and Corporate Change, Research Policy, R&D Management, Sloan Management Review, Technology Analysis, and Strategic Management and Technovation. His current research focuses on technological competition, innovation, and knowledge integration in the automotive industry Anna Bergek is a research leader within the KITE research programme at Linköping University. She has an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management and a PhD in Technology Management. She has published articles on industry dynamics, firm strategy in relation to technical change, and innovation and energy policy in journals such as Energy Policy, Industrial and Corporate Change, Research Policy, Technovation and Technology Analysis, and Strategic Management. Her current research focuses discontinuous innovation in mature phases of the industry life cycle. Lars Bengtsson is also Professor within a PhD school at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. He holds an MSc in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Industrial Management and Work Science. He has published many articles and books on the subjects of continuous improvements, manufacturing strategies, and outsourcing. His current research focuses the significance of manufacturing competence, logistics management, and outsourcing for the innovation capability of industrial firms. Michael Hobday's research interests include project based innovation in high value complex products and systems. As well as many journal publications, he is the author of various books including Innovation in East Asia: The Challenge to Japan (Edward Elgar, 1997), co-author

This book is an impressive achievement and tribute to the power of multidisciplinary longitudinal research. Through penetrating case studies and systematic literature reviews, the KITE researchers make an outstanding contribution to knowledge integration and innovation in businesses and industries