This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dutrénit, G. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Building Technological Capabilities in Latecomer Firms: A Review Essay

Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Coyoacán 04560, Mexico City, Mexico

The literature on the building up of technological capabilities in industrial latecomer firms has focused on analysing the gradual building of a minimum base of technological knowledge to be able to carry out innovative activities. The literature on strategic management focuses on maintaining, nurturing and renewing core capabilities/competencies by the most innovative firms. This paper argues that there is no simple linear progression from the early stage of accumulation of the minimum levels of innovative capability to the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and the deployment of core capabilities. On the contrary, the transition process is complex and while firms make that transition, they have to build deeper and broader stocks of knowledge and develop new types of knowledge management. This paper reviews those bodies of literature, discusses the lack of attention to the characteristics, problems and strategies of the building up of technological capabilities of large firms that compete close to, but still below, the technological frontier, particularly in the Latin American context, and proposes an analytical framework to analyse firms at this stage of accumulation.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Pirela Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Institutional Change: The Dynamics of Building Industry Alliances in Venezuela Science Technology and Society, March 1, 2007; 12(1): 113 - 139. [Abstract] [PDF]