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Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Volume 79, Issue 7, September 2012, Pages 1179–1191

Knowledge virtualization and local connectedness among young globalized high-tech companies

• Marina van Geenhuizen^a,  [Author Vitae],
• Peter Nijkamp^{b, ,}  [Author Vitae]

• ^a Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
• ^b Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

• Received 30 September 2010. Revised 10 January 2012. Accepted 20 January 2012. Available online 13 March 2012.

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2012.01.010, How to Cite or Link Using DOI
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Abstract

Smart high-tech companies are characterized by knowledge intensity and open innovation, and even when these companies emerge in spatial clusters or in dense urban places, they may utilize knowledge networks on a global scale. There is, however, not much insight into the factors that shape global knowledge networks, the role of virtualization therein, and the impact of global knowledge sourcing on local connectedness. An attempt is made in this paper to fill these gaps in our understanding, using a selected sample of young high-tech companies in the Netherlands and rough set analysis to identify homogeneous categories in the highly differentiated young high-tech companies segment. The outcomes suggest coexistent use of both mainly local and mainly global knowledge networks in city-regions, and losing local connectedness by some of the globalized companies, particularly those involved in co-creation of products with global customers and those acting as learning partners of global multinational corporations. Factors counteracting the weakening of local connectedness are specific local knowledge relationships with a university or company of origin, and a strategy of developing local/regional customer markets.

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Highlights

► This paper provides insight into the factors that shape global knowledge networks. ► The outcomes suggest coexistent use of both local and global knowledge networks in city regions. ► Various globalized companies are losing local connectedness.

Keywords

• High-technology companies;
• Open innovation;
• Knowledge networks;
• Virtualization;
• Local connectedness;
• Rough set analysis

ScienceDirect.com - Technological Forecasting and Social Change - Knowledge virtualization and local connectedness among young globalized high-tech companies