Entry mode, organizational learning, and R&D in foreign affiliates: evidence from Japanese firms
研究了进入模式和组织学习如何影响日本海外制造子公司的研发强度，发现收购子公司的研发强度高于全资新建子公司，而少数股权合资企业的研发强度在母公司研发能力弱时更高。
Abstract This paper develops hypotheses concerning the role of entry mode and experience‐based organizational learning as determinants of the R&D intensity of foreign affiliates and tests these hypotheses on a sample of 420 Japanese manufacturing affiliates abroad. Entry mode has a major impact on R&D activities: the R&D intensities of acquired affiliates substantially exceed those in wholly owned greenfield affiliates, while the R&D intensities of minority owned ventures are higher if Japanese parent firms lack strong R&D capabilities at home. For greenfield operations, support is found for an incremental growth pattern of foreign R&D as a function of organizational learning and affiliate capability building. The results are consistent with the view that part of the explanation for Japanese firms' relative lack of involvement in overseas R&D must be sought in their status as ‘latecomers’ in the establishment of overseas manufacturing networks. At the same time, a number of Japanese firms have actively used foreign acquisitions and joint ventures to gain access to overseas technology and to establish overseas R&D capabilities at a faster pace. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.