Upgrading to lead firm position via international acquisition: learning from the global biomass power plant industry.
Hansen, Ulrich Elmer ; Fold, Niels and Hansen, Teis LU
(2016)
In Journal of Economic Geography
16(1).
p.131-153
- Abstract
- This article examines the case of a Chinese firm that has upgraded to lead firm position in the global biomass power plant industry mainly through acquisitions of technological frontier firms in Denmark. Sustaining the lead firm position was, however, challenged by difficulties in developing innovative capability. Drawing on the literature on (i) firm-level technological capability and (ii) knowledge transfer in international acquisitions, we explain the reasons for insufficient innovative capability building. Based on these empirical findings, we suggest maintaining the existing upgrading framework but applying it analytically in a more flexible manner that avoids linearity, hierarchy and segmentation while stressing the co-existence of... (More)
- This article examines the case of a Chinese firm that has upgraded to lead firm position in the global biomass power plant industry mainly through acquisitions of technological frontier firms in Denmark. Sustaining the lead firm position was, however, challenged by difficulties in developing innovative capability. Drawing on the literature on (i) firm-level technological capability and (ii) knowledge transfer in international acquisitions, we explain the reasons for insufficient innovative capability building. Based on these empirical findings, we suggest maintaining the existing upgrading framework but applying it analytically in a more flexible manner that avoids linearity, hierarchy and segmentation while stressing the co-existence of and inter-relationships between the different types of upgrading. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4810684
- author
- Hansen, Ulrich Elmer
; Fold, Niels
and Hansen, Teis
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2016
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- mergers and acquisitions, technological capability, biomass power plant industry, China, industrial upgrading, global value chains
- in
- Journal of Economic Geography
- volume
- 16
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 131 - 153
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000374189600006
- scopus:84965070475
- ISSN
- 1468-2702
- DOI
- 10.1093/jeg/lbu050
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 04178bcc-1be7-46f0-833e-8037380912e4 (old id 4810684)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:11:12
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 13:53:50
@article{04178bcc-1be7-46f0-833e-8037380912e4,
abstract = {{This article examines the case of a Chinese firm that has upgraded to lead firm position in the global biomass power plant industry mainly through acquisitions of technological frontier firms in Denmark. Sustaining the lead firm position was, however, challenged by difficulties in developing innovative capability. Drawing on the literature on (i) firm-level technological capability and (ii) knowledge transfer in international acquisitions, we explain the reasons for insufficient innovative capability building. Based on these empirical findings, we suggest maintaining the existing upgrading framework but applying it analytically in a more flexible manner that avoids linearity, hierarchy and segmentation while stressing the co-existence of and inter-relationships between the different types of upgrading.}},
author = {{Hansen, Ulrich Elmer and Fold, Niels and Hansen, Teis}},
issn = {{1468-2702}},
keywords = {{mergers and acquisitions; technological capability; biomass power plant industry; China; industrial upgrading; global value chains}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{131--153}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
series = {{Journal of Economic Geography}},
title = {{Upgrading to lead firm position via international acquisition: learning from the global biomass power plant industry.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbu050}},
doi = {{10.1093/jeg/lbu050}},
volume = {{16}},
year = {{2016}},
}