ABSTRACT
Alliances between firms that involve active mutual R&D cooperation have been mushrooming since the 1980s. Such partnering is usually cast in the form of joint R&D, a research corporation or a joint venture involving mutual R&D efforts. Together, these will be designated as R&D alliances. In the literature, these are also referred to as ‘strategic technology alliances’ (Hagedoorn and Schakenraad 1992). After a rapid take-off, their growth rate seems to have stabilized at present. The actual rate is still quite high, however, and every year, hundreds of R&D alliances are being initiated.
