Corporate Research and Development in a Late Industrializing Context : The Case of Singapore

This dissertation examines international R&D (research and development) organizations in Singapore. In essence, R&D internationalization has to date been confined to the triad nations, i.e. North America, Western Europe and Japan. Implications beyond this geographical area have not been examined. This dissertation therefore addresses corporate R&D in late industrializing countries by analyzing the topic from three different angles: First, we investigate what type of R&D model enables an R&D organization to tap into knowledge existing in non-traditional R&D locations. Second, this dissertation demonstrates why R&D subsidiaries in non-traditional R&D locations are still at the periphery and how they can increase their level of technological sophistication. Third, it analyzes performance and managerial implications in the periphery context. The empirical study is based on 85 in-depth interviews, mostly with R&D subsidiaries of multinational enterprises. Overall, this research aims to provide a first study on international R&D organizations, present also in late industrializing countries.