Mapping R&D within multinational networks: Evidence from the electronics industry

Abstract

Based on the final results of the R&D.COM - Local R&D COMpetencies within Global Value Chains project, this paper aims at mapping the trajectories of delocalised R&D units within a multinational's global strategy and designing the knowledge flows within the global value chain. This analysis was performed using typologies proposed in the theoretical framework, which help us to have an overview of the network. The methodology is grounded on one extended case study that involves a local R&D unit (Portugal), a foreign R&D unit (Netherlands) and the headquarters (Norway) - developed on a multinational from the electronics industry. This case is an example of a multinational company where R&D is developed mainly in the headquarters but it is also delocalised to some subsidiaries with a certain level of autonomy. © 2009 IFIP.