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DEATH OF DISTANCE? — BIOTECHNOLOGY AGGLOMERATION PATTERNS, ALLIANCE PROXIMITY, AND FIRM PERFORMANCE

Faculties of Commerce & Administration and Science, Victoria University of Wellington, 23 Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand 6140, New Zealand

Corresponding author, Professor and Chair, Science & Technology Entrepreneurship.

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MICHAEL D. MEEKS

San Francisco State University, USA

Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship.

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SALLY DAVENPORT

Faculty of Commerce & Administration, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Professor and Head of School, Victoria Management School

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, and

REBECCA BEDNAREK

Faculty of Commerce & Administration, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219877009001704Cited by:14 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

Leading biopharmaceutical firms need to dynamically optimize pipeline portfolios of internally and externally generated product candidates to ensure sustainable growth. This paper provides an empirical analysis of leading global biotechnology firms with respect to technology agglomeration patterns, proximity to alliance partners, and firm performance for the period 1996–2006. Findings suggest that the absolute number of technology and product alliances were approximately twice as important as proximity to partners in terms of firm performance. These results indicate that a strategy of relentless pipeline building, without regard to geographic proximity of alliance partners, may enhance relative and absolute performance of biopharmaceutical industry leaders.

Keywords:

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