ABSTRACT
A significant trend at the beginning of the twenty-first century is the increasing importance of multinational organizations in the formulation of science policy. Buying knowledge services is a form of commercial and organizational integration of the buyer and the seller, albeit on a temporary basis. The decision to purchase knowledge services should be based on the overall strategy of the organization, but evidence shows that this may not always be taken in a systematic fashion. The somewhat dry statistics in the preceding section show the concern and the determination of the wealthy nations to compete in the global knowledge marketplace. But powerful new competitors are emerging to challenge the dominance of the Organization for Economic Development (OECD) nations – a state of affairs that allows intriguing new possibilities for buyers of knowledge and knowledge-based services. By spreading their research base these corporate giants hope to access a wider range of technological competencies than may be available in their home countries.
