ABSTRACT
This chapter specifies and discusses the possible goals of inter-firm collaboration. They are grouped in three categories: static efficiency in the exploitation of resources (e.g. economies of scale, scope and time), development of new competences (especially learning) and ‘positioning’ in markets (especially entry into new markets). Subsequently, it discusses the notions and theory involved: of scale, scope and time, innovation, organizational learning, the notion of ‘communities of practice’ and internationalization of firms. The notion of economy of scale, for example, entails a variety of different forms. The advanced section further discusses one of the lesser-known forms of scale, due to ‘threshold costs’, which are important especially in different kinds of service industries. Next, it summarizes a ‘theory of discovery’, in which exploration and exploitation build on each other. This gives a further perspective, for example, on entrepreneurial ‘spin-offs’ from firms. It also
gives a perspective on the internationalization process of firms as a process of learning.
