Learning and Novelty Generation in Inter-Organisational Co-operation

Abstract

In Chapters 1 and 2, it has been outlined that the key resource in inter-organisational co-operation in R&D is knowledge. Correspondingly, the central process within an inter-organistional co-operation project constitutes knowledge sharing. Thus, this chapter starts with an outline of the process of inter-organisational knowledge sharing and identifies key challenges within this process (section 3.2). Subsequently, it turns to the ‘preparedness’ of the partners, in terms of their ability and motivation, as key precondition for knowledge sharing (section 3.3). One such motivational factor is trust, which is assumed to play an important role in knowledge sharing, and which is addressed separately in section 3.4. Section 3.5 provides a summary of the main insights of this chapter.