Interfirm R&D Partnering in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Since 1975: Trends, Patterns, and Networks
John Hagedoorn, Department of Organisation and Strategy, Maastricht University
This paper analyses a large, longitudinal database on inter-firm R&D partnerships formed in the high-tech pharmaceutical biotechnology industry since 1975. Our research indicates an overall growth in the number of annually, newly established R&D partnerships where research partners consistently prefer contractaul partnerships to equity-based alliances. In the networks that develop through these R&D partnerships, small, entrepreneurial biotechnoloigcal companies take a leading role during the 1980s when biotechnology first became relevant for the pharmaceutical industry. The 1990s, however, show a different patterns with established, large pharmaceutical companies becoming more dominant, acting as nodal players with multiple partnerships with a variety of other companies.
Date: 03 May-00 0000