Inter-firm knowledge management and technology development in radical innovation

The results of the Rensselaer Radical Innovation Project (USA) show that the development of new businesses and product lines based on discontinuous, or radical innovation-which is critical for renewal of the firm´s competitive position-requires management practices that differ from those required in incremental innovation. Effective knowledge management is critical to discontinuous innovation success. All firms in the Project employ a variety of strategic alliances. Knowledge management studies suggest that inter-firm strategic alliances enhance corporate innovative capability through flow of knowledge across companies. Due to the increasing significance of inter-firm collaborative networks and the importance of technological insight to radical innovation, there is a need for further understanding of the relationship between knowledge management and technology development at the inter-firm level. Prior research has neglected to compare differences and similarities in internal knowledge management with interfirm knowledge management according to type of innovation