ABSTRACT
One can observe in recent times the emergence of new forms of organ isa tion for knowledge generation ac tiv ities, associated with new approaches to the search for knowledge:
• Many firms have become more motiv ated and more sys tematic in searching for, protecting and ex ploiting sci ent ific, techno lo gical and/or entrepreneurial know ledge to increase their com petit iveness by means of better products and/or more efficient production pro cesses (Granstrand, 1999; Suarez-Villa,
2000; Karlsson & Johansson, 2006). Firms are changing the way they inno vate, while extending their search for access to sources of sci ent ific and techno lo gical know ledge outside their national bound ar ies, and building net works of distributed research and de velopment (R&D) including their own R&D facilities in foreign locations (Thursby & Thursby, 2006). MNFs’ (multi national firms’) global sourcing of science and tech no logy2 is changing the con ditions for research and higher education organ isa tions (Veugelers, 2010).
