Learning to survive

Abstract (Swedish)

Sammanfattning

Titel: Learning to survive – An investigation of Learning Mechanisms among four New Technology-Based Firms at Ideon Science Park in Lund

Seminariedatum: 2016-01-14

Kurs: FEKH19, Examensarbete i Strategic Management på kandidatnivå, 15 HP

Författare: Johanna Bergendal, Lisa Fjellström, Emma Petersen

Handledare: Devrim Göktepe-Hultén

Fem nyckelord: RBV, dynamiska kapabiliteter, erfarenhetsackumulering, kunskapsartikulering,kunskapskodifiering

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att identifiera hur samspelet mellan tre inlärningsmekanismer: erfarenhetsackumulering, kunskapsartikulering och kunskapskodifiering, direkt och genom skapandet av dynamiska kapabiliteter, bidragit till NTBFs överlevnad genom utvecklingen av
deras VRIN-resurser.

Metod: Genom en kvalitativ undersökning i form av en multipel fallstudie har insamlad primärdata jämförts med ett på förhand konstruerat teoretiskt ramverk enligt Yins (2009) metod för pattern matching. Studiens insamlade primärdata utgörs av nio semistrukturerade intervjuer med respondenter från studiens fyra fallföretag.

Teoretiska perspektiv: Utgångspunkten för studien är RBV och dess påstående att VRINresurser leder till varaktiga konkurrensfördelar (Barney, 1991). Enligt Teece (2014) kan RBV kompletteras med dynamiska kapabiliteter för att förklara hur företag kan nå långsiktig framgång.
Han menar att företag, med hjälp av dynamiska kapabiliteter, har förmågan att utnyttja och utveckla sina VRIN-resurser, trots omgivningens förändringar. Enligt Zollo och Winter(2002) kan samspelet mellan de tre inlärningsmekanismerna: erfarenhetsackumulering, kunskapsartikulering
och kunskapskodifiering, skapa dynamiska kapabiliteter.

Empiri: Studiens empiriska material har genererats från semistrukturerade intervjuer utförda med respondenter från studiens fyra fallföretag på Ideon Science Park i Lund. Materialet visar hur fallföretagens viktigaste resurser utvecklats från företagens uppstart till idag. Det beskriver
även hur fallföretagen praktiserar de tre inlärningsmekanismerna: erfarenhetsackumulering,kunskapsartikulering och kunskapskodifiering.

Slutsats: Slutsatsen av vår fallstudie är att samspelet mellan erfarenhetsackumulering, kunskapsartikulering och kunskapskodifiering direkt, såväl som genom dynamiska kapabiliteter,har bidragit till utvecklandet av VRIN-resurser hos samtliga NTBFs i vår studie. Tillämpandet
av inlärningsmekanismerna och samspelet mellan dem tycks därmed ha haft betydelse för fallföretagens fortsatta existens.

Popular Abstract

Summary

Title: Learning to survive – An investigation of Learning Mechanisms among four New Technology-Based Firms at Ideon Science Park in Lund

Seminar date: 2016-01-14

Course: FEKH19, Degree Project in Strategic Management, Undergraduate Level, 15 ECTS

Authors: Johanna Bergendal, Lisa Fjellström, Emma Petersen

Advisor: Devrim Göktepe-Hultén

Key words: RBV, dynamic capabilities, experience accumulation, knowledge articulation,knowledge codification

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to identify how the coevolution of three Learning mechanisms: experience accumulation, knowledge articulation and knowledge codification,directly and through the creation of dynamic capabilities, has contributed to the survival of NTBFs through the development of their VRIN-resources.

Methodology: Through a qualitative study conducted as a multiple case study, collected primary data were compared with a preliminary theoretical framework as per Yin's (2009) patttern matching method. The primary data in this study consists of nine semi-structured interviews
with respondents from four companies.

Theoretical perspectives: The theoretical starting point of the study is RBV and its prediction that VRIN-resources lead to sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). According to Teece (2014) dynamic capabilities can complement RBV to explain how companies can achieve long-term success. He means that companies, through dynamic capabilities, have the ability to use and develop their VRIN-resources, despite changes in their external environment.
According to Zollo and Winter (2002) the coevolution of the three learning mechanisms: experience accumulation, knowledge articulation and knowledge codification, can create dynamic capabilities.

Empirical foundation: The empirical material of the study was generated from semistructured interviews with respondents from four companies at Ideon Science Park in Lund.
The material shows how the companies’ most important resources has developed from the start of the business until today. It also describes how the companies are practicing the Three learning mechanisms: experience accumulation, knowledge articulation and knowledge codification.

Conclusion: The conclusion of our study is that the coevolution of experience accumulation, knowledge articulation and knowledge codification directly, as well as through dynamic capabilities,has contributed to the development of VRIN-resources in all NTBFs that were part of our study. The application of the learning mechanisms as wellas through dynamic capabilities, has contributed to the development of VRIN-resources in all NTBFs that were part of our study. The application of the learning mechanisms as well as the coevolution between them has thus been important for the survival of the companies.

• author: Bergendal, Johanna ; Fjellström, Lisa and Petersen, Emma
• supervisor: Devrim Göktepe-Hultén
• organization: Department of Business Administration
• alternative title: An investigation of Learning Mechanisms among four New Technology-Based Firms at Ideon Science Park in Lund
• course: FEKH19 20152
• year: 2016
• type: M2 - Bachelor Degree
• subject: Business and Economics
• keywords: dynamic capabilities, RBV, experience accumulation, knowledge articulation, knowledge codification
• language: Swedish
• id: 8618523
• date added to LUP: 2016-02-15 13:56:02
• date last changed: 2016-02-15 13:56:02