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Can Market-Based Contracts Substitute for Alliances in High Technology Markets?

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Abstract

Most current research on technology alliances assumes that trading partners are free to select an optimal governance structure. However, for international scientific research centers working with advanced technologies, the choices for industrial collaboration are often limited to short-term contracts. This research investigates whether in high technology settings, such short-term contracts can substitute for longer-term cooperative alliances. While the short-term transaction costs are high, the results suggest that, similar to alliances, certain market-based contracts do result in long-term learning and transferable firm-specific advantages.

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*Markus Nordberg is a visiting research fellow at the Solvay Business School. He also holds the position of strategic planning officer at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva. Switzerland.

**Alexandra Campbell is an assistant professor of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Her research interests include alliances, business-to-business networks and international market entry strategies.

***Alain Verbeke is a professor of International Business Strategy at the University of Brussels, Solvay Business School. He is also a management consultant for the European Commission.

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Nordberg, M., Campbell, A. & Verbeke, A. Can Market-Based Contracts Substitute for Alliances in High Technology Markets?. J Int Bus Stud 27, 963–979 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490159

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490159

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