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Competencies for the “Technological Europe” of Tomorrow: A New Model and an Emerging Concept of Interorganizational Competence

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Knowledge Perspectives of New Product Development

Part of the book series: Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management ((ITKM))

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Abstract

This chapter aims to further our knowledge of competency management by looking at a new type of competence: inter-organizational competence. The need for a new concept arose from our research into the little-known links between two aspects of competence, collective competence and environmental competence. In this chapter we will analyze this link based on an empirical study carried out at an international semiconductor company. We will also explain how we came to identify a new type of competence: inter-organizational competence. We will begin by reviewing current ideas about collective competence and environmental competence. We will then outline the topic of our research, describe the context in which it was carried out, and explain the methodology used. We will then present the findings of our research, followed by analysis and discussion of a model of collective competence that includes an external – or, more accurately – inter-organizational – dimension and the emergence of a new concept: inter-organizational competence.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Here, we will use Dietrich’s (2008) definitions of the different types of competences: (1) Individual competence: knowledge, skills, and behaviors acquired by individuals in the course of their work. (2) Collective competence: the result of synergies between individuals’ capacities, and effective team management. (3) Organizational competence: the organization’s capacity to use the available resources to optimize operations and create value. (4) Strategic competence: rare competencies that are difficult to imitate or reproduce and that give the company a decisive advantage. (5) Environmental competence: competencies outside of the company held by partners (suppliers, customers, or other partners); furthermore, territorial competence is specific to a geographical area (such as clusters, for instance).

  2. 2.

    Project funded by the European Commission, DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Article 6 of the ESF and readaptation: www.matri-europe.com.

  3. 3.

    Assimakopoulos, D. 2007. Social Network Analysis (SNA) – Findings from the investigation of individual and collective competences in the semiconductor pilot experimentation. Matri internal reports.

  4. 4.

    Chapelet, B., Donnadieu, M. and G. Michel. 2008. Recommandations pour le renforcement des compétences individuelles et collectives des équipes locales de développement à 3/5 ans. Matri internal reports.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Management and Behaviors Department, Grenoble Ecole de Management, 12 rue Pierre Sémard, Grenoble, 38000, France

    Pierre-Yves Sanséau

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  1. Pierre-Yves Sanséau
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Correspondence to Pierre-Yves Sanséau .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Grenoble Ecole de Management, rue Pierre Sémard 12, Grenoble CX, 38003, France

    Dimitris G. Assimakopoulos

  2. School of Business, George Washington University, Washington, 20052, District of Columbia, USA

    Elias G. Carayannis

  3. Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research, Center (APARC), Stanford University, Serra St. 616, Stanford, 94305, California, USA

    Rafiq Dossani

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Sanséau, PY. (2012). Competencies for the “Technological Europe” of Tomorrow: A New Model and an Emerging Concept of Interorganizational Competence. In: Assimakopoulos, D., Carayannis, E., Dossani, R. (eds) Knowledge Perspectives of New Product Development. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0248-0_6

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