| Article ID: | iaor201522305 |
| Volume: | 44 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| Start Page Number: | 384 |
| End Page Number: | 397 |
| Publication Date: | Sep 2014 |
| Journal: | R&D Management |
| Authors: | Alcalde Heras Mara del Henar |
| Keywords: | contracts, research and development, product development |
Firms engage in contractual R&D agreements for several reasons, including product innovation motives, firm performance goals, and technological diversification. This article demonstrates that firms also might enter into external collaborations to penetrate new markets. This study therefore explores both the effects and the strategic risks of contractual R&D agreements and their related knowledge structures for a firm's capacity to diversify into new markets. Drawing on a novel panel data set obtained from 102 Fortune high‐tech firms, the authors demonstrate that strategic alliances enable knowledge‐integrated firms to penetrate new businesses; however, these organizations should be cautious about engaging in licensing‐in agreements, which have negative effects on product diversification.