Collaborative dynamics in environmental R&D alliances

Abstract

The use of environmental policies to facilitate research and development (R&D) collaborations that generate environmental innovations (EIs) is increasingly important for sustainable development. However, few studies have examined how the collaborative dynamics between R&D partners influence how they respond to environmental objectives. We address this gap by studying two Norwegian environmental R&D alliances and the development of their collaborative relationships in terms of the relative absorptive capacity, meaning their relative similarity with respect to organizational structures, knowledge bases and dominant logics. We find that R&D partners with higher relative absorptive capacity are more likely to respond coherently to policy objectives, whereas this is more challenging between partners with lower relative absorptive capacity. Further, our research shows that partners’ use of power may change how an alliance responds to policy objectives. The implications of these findings are discussed.