This research study elaborates on one of the most important features of the modern International Business (IB) area; the multinational R&D subsidiary. Taking into consideration the strategic importance and the particular role the R&D subsidiary plays, this study sheds light on the multiple forms of knowledge networks in which the R&D subsidiary is embedded. Accordingly, based on the two already known dichotomies of subsidiary knowledge networks (external home vs. external host and external host vs. internal) this thesis draws on the existing theory and empirical evidence and proposes a triangular view (i.e. external home, external host and internal) between the R&D subsidiary and its embeddedness within the surrounding knowledge networks. Accordingly, based on three major theories of the management in the IB area, Social Network Theory (SNT), Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) and Agency Theory (AT), this study provides answers on a number of under researched questions. First, what are the determinants of each type of R&D subsidiary embeddedness in each of the three available knowledge networks? Second, considering the relative costs influencing R&D subsidiaries to rely more or less on one form of embeddedness compared to another, what sort of relationship exists (i.e. complementary or substitutive) between the aforementioned forms of R&D subsidiary embeddedness? Finally, considering the contextual- and HQ-specific factors that impact the overall functioning of the R&D subsidiary, what sort of effect do the multiple forms of R&D subsidiary embeddedness have on the latter’s innovative performance? This study adopts a quantitative approach and employs appropriate econometric methods in order to provide answers to the aforementioned research questions. Furthermore, data from three different sources are amalgamated. First, a unique survey questionnaire is utilised. This instrument was originally developed in the University of Reading and corresponds to both subsidiaries and the HQ. The sample covers Fortune 500 Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). Second, and in order to augment the information derived from the survey, supplementary information on patent characteristics is sourced from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database. Third, a range of aggregate-level (secondary) data enriches the existing dataset. The findings reveal that each form of R&D subsidiary embeddedness is determined by a set of different predictors. Precisely, it is found that host location’s macroeconomic uncertainty positively influences subsidiary’s embeddedness in the home location’s knowledge network. Being an R&D subsidiary and having an adaptation and support-oriented profile, as well as being highly centralised to the HQ, negatively influences the R&D subsidiary’s embeddedness in the host location’s knowledge network. On the other hand, having a more research intensive and internationally integrated R&D role positively influences the R&D subsidiary’s embeddedness in the internal knowledge network of the MNE. The findings also indicate that a complementary relationship exists between external home and external host, as well as among external host and internal knowledge networks. On the contrary, a substitutive relationship is indicated between external home and internal networks under which the R&D subsidiary is embedded. Finally, as regards the last research question the results indicate that only internal embeddedness has a positive and significant impact on innovative performance, while scientific and research endowment of the host locations is also found to positively influence the innovative output of the R&D subsidiary. Implications for academics and practitioners (both managers and policy makers) are widely discussed and suggest that the three-dimensional view of embeddedness is useful in understanding and explaining the way MNEs’ foreign R&D subsidiaries operate.

Yes / Technologies can help strengthen the resilience of our economy against existential climate-risks. We investigate climate change adaptation technologies (CCATs) in US patents to understand (1) historical patterns and possible drivers of innovation; (2) scientific and technological requirements to develop and use CCATs; and (3) CCATs’ potential technological synergies with mitigation. First, in contrast to mitigation, innovation in CCATs only slowly takes off, indicating a relatively low awareness of investors for solutions to cope with climate risks. We discuss how historical trends in environmental regulation, energy prices, and public support may have contributed to patenting in CCATs. Second, CCATs form two main clusters: science-intensive ones in agriculture, health, and monitoring technologies; and engineering-intensive ones in coastal, water, and infrastructure technologies. Analyses of technology-specific scientific and technological knowledge bases inform directions for how to facilitate advancement, transfer and use of CCATs. Lastly, CCATs show strong technological complementarities with mitigation as more than 25% of CCATs bear mitigation benefits. While not judging about the complementarity of mitigation and adaptation in general, our results suggest how policymakers can harness these technological synergies to achieve both goals simultaneously.

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Confrontées à des environnements d’affaires toujours plus turbulents, les firmes doiventredoubler d’efforts pour se doter de moyens leur permettant de se saisir pleinement de ces évolutions.L’intelligence technologique, en tant que vecteur de connaissances sur les dynamiques d’innovation,constitue un instrument au service des firmes afin d’orienter leurs activités économiques.L’enjeu de cette thèse, financée par le Groupe PSA, est de participer au renforcement des pratiquesd’intelligence technologique d’un grand groupe industriel.La première partie de cette thèse vise à rendre l’intelligence technologique plus intelligible afind’asseoir la légitimité de son intégration effective dans les processus des firmes. Pour cela, nousmobilisons les éléments théoriques du référentiel des ressources et compétences de la firme afind’apporter des éléments de réponse à trois problématiques. Pourquoi la compréhension del’environnement externe relève d’une nécessité pour la firme ? Quel statut au sein de la firme octroyerà cette aptitude de compréhension ? Et enfin, quels sont les apports concrets de l’intelligencetechnologique pour le management stratégique et opérationnel de l’innovation ?L’opérationnalisation de l’intelligence technologique est au coeur de la seconde partie de cette thèsequi s’attache à améliorer les pratiques de collecte de matériaux informationnels sur l’environnementexterne. Plus précisément, elle ambitionne non seulement de déterminer l’apport informationnel desdonnées brevet et de données actuellement peu exploitées, à savoir les données financières, maiségalement de formuler des recommandations opérationnelles pour leur exploitation / Challenged by turbulent environment, firms are driven to make extra efforts in order tothrive. Technology intelligence, as a vector of knowledge of innovation dynamics, constitutes aninstrument at the firms’ disposal to help steer their economic activities.The aim of this thesis, funded by Groupe PSA, is to participate in the enhancement of theimplementation of technology intelligence within large industrial groups.The first part of this Ph.D. thesis aims at making technology intelligence more comprehensible inorder to reinforce its purposes in the innovation process of firms.To this end, we will call upon theoretical elements from the resources and competencies based view ofthe firm in order to answer three questions: Why is the understanding of the external environment ofthe firm a necessity? What is its place within the organization of the firm? What is the significance oftechnological intelligence for strategic and operational management of innovation?By putting technology intelligence into practice, the second part of this thesis focuses on improvingcollection methods of data required for the analysis of the external environment of the firm. Moreprecisely, the intent is not only to determine the informational benefits of patent data and the seldomused financial data, but also to make practical recommendations for their exploitation.