Essays on the impact of different forms of collaborative R&D on innovation and technological change

R&D alliance is a multifaceted phenomenon, in which various socio-technological mechanisms operate in the interaction of partner firms. This dissertation is composed of three studies to shed light on different dimensions of firms’ resources and performance in different forms of R&D collaborations. These studies consider (1) how the partner firms differences with respect to different dimensions of their knowledge bases influence inter-firm learning in dyadic R&D alliances, (2) how the partner firm differences in their resources across locales influence the multi-partner alliance performances at both alliance and firm levels, and (3) how firms leverage R&D collaboration to navigate the dynamics of technology selection during technology change. The findings of these studies tie together to the extent that they clarify the complex dynamics that exist between individual firms and their alliance partners in order to realize individual and joint value. In general, this dissertation contributes to the strategy and technology management literature by elucidating the less-explored dimensions of the firm’s resources and performance in R&D collaborations.