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Acquiring once, acquiring twice - Lessons learned from repeated acquisitions of innovative firms

Öberg, Christina LU (2011) In International Journal of Innovation Management 15(6). p.1243-1269
Abstract
This paper describes and discusses learning in repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Researchers have pointed to how companies may improve performance through conducting repeated acquisitions, while they have not previously focused on repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Findings of this present study are summarised in five learnings: forming a professional organisation that deals with acquisitions; acquiring present, ready-for-market innovations rather than innovative capabilities; acquiring complementary rather than diverse innovations; keeping the innovator and disbanding from him/her; and the slow process of integration. The findings indicate risk reductions and decreased diversification foci in later acquisitions. They also... (More)
This paper describes and discusses learning in repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Researchers have pointed to how companies may improve performance through conducting repeated acquisitions, while they have not previously focused on repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Findings of this present study are summarised in five learnings: forming a professional organisation that deals with acquisitions; acquiring present, ready-for-market innovations rather than innovative capabilities; acquiring complementary rather than diverse innovations; keeping the innovator and disbanding from him/her; and the slow process of integration. The findings indicate risk reductions and decreased diversification foci in later acquisitions. They also pinpoint learning on how to handle acquisitions, not just knowledge related to the acquired party. The paper contributes to research on acquisitions of innovative firms through discussing performance improvements and what expectations to place on acquisitions. It also contributes to the learning literature through providing a case illustration on a company that changed its acquisition strategy based on knowledge accumulated through previous acquisitions. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Innovation, acquisition, organisational learning, technology
in
International Journal of Innovation Management
volume
15
issue
6
pages
1243 - 1269
publisher
World Scientific Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:82955240555
ISSN
1757-5877
DOI
10.1142/S1363919611003726
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0da75882-d200-4366-be41-3791ac9ba78a (old id 4934946)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:40:17
date last changed
2022-01-28 01:52:38
@article{0da75882-d200-4366-be41-3791ac9ba78a,
  abstract     = {{This paper describes and discusses learning in repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Researchers have pointed to how companies may improve performance through conducting repeated acquisitions, while they have not previously focused on repeated acquisitions of innovative firms. Findings of this present study are summarised in five learnings: forming a professional organisation that deals with acquisitions; acquiring present, ready-for-market innovations rather than innovative capabilities; acquiring complementary rather than diverse innovations; keeping the innovator and disbanding from him/her; and the slow process of integration. The findings indicate risk reductions and decreased diversification foci in later acquisitions. They also pinpoint learning on how to handle acquisitions, not just knowledge related to the acquired party. The paper contributes to research on acquisitions of innovative firms through discussing performance improvements and what expectations to place on acquisitions. It also contributes to the learning literature through providing a case illustration on a company that changed its acquisition strategy based on knowledge accumulated through previous acquisitions.}},
  author       = {{Öberg, Christina}},
  issn         = {{1757-5877}},
  keywords     = {{Innovation; acquisition; organisational learning; technology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1243--1269}},
  publisher    = {{World Scientific Publishing}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Innovation Management}},
  title        = {{Acquiring once, acquiring twice - Lessons learned from repeated acquisitions of innovative firms}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S1363919611003726}},
  doi          = {{10.1142/S1363919611003726}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}