Supply chain of innovation and new product development. Issue 4 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mazzola, Erica; Bruccoleri, Manfredi; Perrone, Giovanni
• Is Part Of: Journal of purchasing and supply management. Volume 21:Issue 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 284
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: R&D purchasing -- R&D selling -- Social capital -- New product development -- Biopharmaceutical industry; Industrial procurement -- Europe -- Management -- Periodicals; Purchasing -- Europe -- Periodicals; Purchasing -- Europe -- Management -- Periodicals; Materials management -- Europe -- Periodicals; Industrial procurement -- Management; Materials management; Purchasing; Purchasing -- Management; Europe; Periodicals; 658.7205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pursup.2015.04.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-4092

Abstract

Abstract: This paper conceptualizes the supply chain of innovation of a company as its supply chain not related to physical goods exchanges but to R&D commodities exchanges. R&D commodities, being the outcomes of research activities, are for example patents, technologies, research services, studies, projects, etc. Specifically, we focus on the relationship between the activities of purchasing/selling R&D commodities and the propensity of the firm to develop new products; we examine how the position of the firm within its innovation network moderates this relationship. The empirical setting of the research consists of a cross-sectional dataset of 544 biopharmaceutical companies that have signed 1772 R&D agreements in the years 2006–2010. We find firstly, evidence of the supply chain of innovation (as a natural evolution of the well-acknowledged dual-market model of the biopharmaceutical industry). Secondly, we find that the relational embeddedness, coming from innovation network, influences the effect of purchasing and selling R&D commodities on new product development. Supporting our theoretical predictions, this paper offers contributions to the scientific literature on supply chain relationships in new product development. Highlights: In this paper we conceptualize the supply chain of innovation (SCoI). We compare the supply chain of innovation and the supply chain of materials. We focus on the relationship between purchasing/selling R&D and NPD. We study the role of relational embeddedness within the innovation network.