The Internationalisation of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)—Conceptual Notions and Illustrative Examples from European RTOs in China

Abstract

Recently, the internationalisation of business R&D has received much attention. Much less attention has been paid to another group of actors within national systems of innovation, namely, non-university research and technology organisations (RTOs). The article aims to conceptualise this highly diverse sector and to ascertain how its characteristics influence the internationalisation propensity of RTOs. The close relationship of RTOs with governments and their policies is seen as the most important aspect. The article presents the motives and strategies for R&D internationalisation of both the business and academic sectors, which together feed into the strategic considerations of RTOs. In addition, it provides (secondary) empirical evidence of RTO internationalisation activities and enriches the empirical foundation by providing qualitative insights from interviews with five European RTOs with representative offices in China. The focus on China is justified by its high level of ambition, investment and recent achievements in science and technology, and the great amount of R&D-related foreign direct investment in recent years. We conclude by drawing a tentative comparison of the internationalisation processes of enterprises and RTOs.

Use of infrastructures to support innovative entrepreneurship and business growth

“…Technology centers aim to promote and disseminate innovation and technological development as a means of improving entrepreneurial competitiveness (Albors-Garrigós, Rincon-Diaz, & Igartua-Lopez, 2014;Barge-Gil, Santamaría, & Modrego-Rico, 2011;Berger & Hofer, 2011;Mas-Verdú, 2007). Technology centers are intermediary organizations with a strong foothold across Europe.…”

“…Finally, in the long term, technology centers perform services that relate to R&D projects (new production processes, methods, etc.) whose aim is, among others, growing the businesses within the technology center (Berger & Hofer, 2011).…”

Nuevos modos de conexión con redes globales de innovación: el caso de Chile

“…Además de actividades docentes, algunas universidades (Guimón, 2016;Pfotenhauer, Wood, Roos & Newman, 2016) y centros públicos de investigación (Berger & Hofer, 2011;Jonkers & Cruz-Castro, 2010) han creado nuevos centros de investigación en el extranjero para estrechar vínculos con universidades y empresas de otros países para mejorar su reputación y subir puestos en los rankings internacionales; para beneficiarse de financiación pública a la investigación ofrecida por distintos gobiernos, y para contribuir al desarrollo de capacidades tecnológicas en los países en desarrollo. Así, las universidades y centros públicos de investigación se están volviendo cada vez más relevantes como agentes articuladores de redes globales de innovación.…”

Directionality and systemic governance : Lessons from Brazilian pig system transformations from the 1960s to date

“…In reality, unpacking often implies to build up local skills related to imported innovation through actions such as the establishment of international research agreements, applied experimentation partnerships, and capacity building strategies (Stone and Glover, 2016). In turn, repacking comprehends to adjust imported innovations as far as necessary to local contexts, and it also implies adapting the local context to what comes from abroad (Berger and Hofer, 2011). Therefore, 'translational work' influences systemic governance directionality in a twofold way: 1) when what will be translated is chosen; and 2) when the 'translation' shapes imported innovation and local contexts to fit one into another.…”

“…The repacking step entails the ability to adjust imported innovation as far as necessary to the local technical, social, economic, and agroecological characteristics that shape receiver contexts (Glover et al, 2017). Repacking also implies adapting the local context to an imported innovation to a certain degree (Berger and Hofer, 2011). Thus, the repacking step can progress through an array of actions -e.g., from the development of projects focused on fostering an imported production model to the introduction of particular equipment or methodologies (Stone and Glover, 2016).…”