Master Thesis Research“How to Become More Innovative From

Alliance Portfolios?”

Master ThesisStudent: R.P. (Robin) OduberStudent Number: 0378339Coach: R. (Raymond) van WijkCo-reader: J. (Justin) Jansen

Table of Contents

Why CGI

Client Benefits

Benefits

CGI

Research Team

Research Purpose

Confiden-tiality

Your Support?

ChallengesProblem

Definition & Analyst

Perspectives

Problem Definition & Analyst Perspectives

Problem Definition

With intensifying competition and acceleration of the pace of change, firms need to renew themselves by exploiting existing competencies on one hand and exploring new competencies on the other (Floyd and Lane, 2000). Due to the rapid proliferation of competence destroying and altering technologies, very few firms are able to possess all the inputs required for successful and continuous innovation and to compete in ever- changing innovative environments (Easterby-Smith and Lyles, 2011). As a consequence, the vast majority of organizations develops a deficit in critical knowledge within their own boundaries required in order to prosper and grow (Dussauge et al., 2000).

Organizations are therefore forced to explore external sources for obtaining new knowledge. This begs the question of how organizations can exploit and manage their alliance portfolios as important source of external knowledge in order to facilitate innovation within their business units.

Analyst & Scientific Perspectives on Innovation and the role of Alliances

“Driven by a variety of forces, the economic environment in which organizations operate today is changing more rapidly as ever”

“Managing multiple alliances as a coordinated portfolio has the

potential to generate value beyond the value that can be gained from

individual alliances.”

“Many organizations are forming alliances for various reasons, e.g. to spread the inherent risks related to innovation and to gain access to

resources that are initially unavailable for the focal firm.”

“One of the most important methods to achieve and prolong a

competitive advantage is to be innovative.”

McKinsey (2010) Sivadas and Dwyer (2000)

Escribano et al. (2009) Chesbrough (2007)

Volberda (2010)Sarkar et al. (2009)

Example

Analyst & Scientific Perspectives on Innovation and the role of Alliances

Big Data Creates Big Jobs: 4.4 Million IT Jobs Globally to Support Big Data By 2015

Retailers using big data to the full could increase their operating

margin by more than 60 percent

European government administrators could save more than €100 billion in operational

efficiency improvements alone by using big data

Big Data Will Drive $28 Billion of IT Spending in 2013

Gartner Says

McKinsey Says

Gartner Says

McKinsey Says

Does an Alliance Sell? (Source: RSM – Erasmus University, 2013)

Research Motivation & Research Purpose

Research Motivation & Research Purpose• Alliances are an important source for and driver of

firm innovation

• Many organizations are nowadays engaged in multiple alliances simultaneously

• When organizations form multiple partnerships, challenges and issues arise beyond those of individual alliances

Purpose

A broader portfolio perspective is important in investigating the role of alliances in firm innovation

(Cui & O’Connor, 2012; Goerzen & Beamish, 2005; Jiang et al., 2010; Wuyts et al., 2004)

Research Team

Student Msc. Business Administration

R. (Robin) OduberRobin Oduber is team leader and engagement manager of the Test & Quality Management practice of CGI Nederland B.V. He has joined the part-time Master (MSc.) Business Administration programme since August 2012. In 2013, Robin researched the role of social networks in the process of trouble solving of (foreign) entrepreneurs while building up their start-up companies in the context of the South African hospitality sector. Together with student team members, Robin found out that strong ties are crucial for entrepreneurs in order to succeed setting up a start-up company during the start-up phase, however can potentially slow down further growth. Often, the first clientele and financial resources are obtained by means of strong ties, where weak ties are generally being used in order to find the necessary human resources in order to run the business and to increase the customer base to support business growth (by ‘Word of Mouth’).

Currently, Robin’s research focuses on the effects of Alliance Portfolios on the level of innovation of business units in the context of writing his master thesis in order to obtain the degree of ‘MSc. Business Administration. Robin is a potential candidate for ‘graduation with distinction’ at the Rotterdam School of Management – Erasmus University.

Parttime Master Business Administration 2012 – 2014Rotterdam School of Management

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Coach

ProfileRaymond van Wijk is Assistant Professor at the Department of Strategy and Business Environment of Rotterdam School of Management. He joined the department as a Research Associate in 1996, to become Assistant Professor in 2000. In 2003, he obtained his PhD from Erasmus University with a study on the organization and integration of knowledge in internal networks. Much of his research has been published in a variety of journals and books. Currently, his research focuses on knowledge flows, absorptive capacity and exploration and exploitation. He teaches courses on strategic alliances and corporate development in the master program, as well as core strategy courses in the executive and bachelor programs.

Professional experienceAssistant ProfessorErasmus University RotterdamRotterdam School of ManagementDepartment of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship

Assistant ProfessorErasmus University RotterdamRotterdam School of ManagementDepartment of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship

Co-reader

ProfileJustin Jansen is Professor of Corporate Entrepreneurship at Rotterdam School of Management. He is intrigued by the notion that most organizations tend to focus on existing businesses and clients, and are not able to break away from existing routines and processes in order to explore into new territories. Professor Jansen’s research provides new insights into the roles of leadership, the organizational design as well as the development of novel capabilities as to improve long-term viability and performance.

Professor Jansen’s research on strategic leadership, organizational learning and absorptive capacity, organizational ambidexterity and corporate entrepreneurship has been published in various academic journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Leadership Quarterly, Management Science, Organization Science, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, and Strategic Management Journal .

Moreover, his research has received recognition throughout the field and several accolades including the ERIM best paper award, the ERIM best dissertation award, and the SAP best strategy paper. He is a recipient of the Erasmus Research Fellowship. Professor Jansen is currently an associate editor of the Journal of Management Studies and serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review and the Strategic Management Journal.

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Professional experienceFull ProfessorErasmus University RotterdamRotterdam School of ManagementDepartment of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship

How can you support?

Your Support is needed!

In order to be able to draw valid and reliable conclusions, the following quotas are needed:

• approximately 80 completed and valid self-completion questionnaires, completed by alliance managers, or managers who are responsible for the management of multiple alliance partners;

• approximately 30 completed and valid self-completion questionnaires, completed by a direct colleague of the alliance manager to control for the level of innovation of the business unit.

As a personal relation (LinkedIn) you can support this scientific research in multiple ways.

As a non-alliance manager• by identifying alliance managers in your personal network, hence get them into contact with Robin Oduber;

• by asking colleagues within your company, whether they know managers who are responsible for managing alliance partners within your company and ask them if they want to participate.

As an Alliance Manager (or manager responsible for the management of alliance partners)• by completing a self-completion questionnaire, hence ask a colleague for his/her second opinion regarding the

unit’s level of innovation (a separate self-completion questionnaire will be forwarded);

• by engaging your business alliance partners to participate in this research, hence getting them into contact with Robin Oduber.

Your support is much appreciated!

Confidentiality

Discretion and Confidentiality

Place and purpose of the Research ProjectThis research project is done in the context of obtaining a MSc. Business Administration degree at the Rotterdam School of Management – Erasmus University and is for educational purposes only.

ConfidentialityAll answers provided, including your personal information, will be handled with absolute care. Individual results and personal information will exclusively be used by the researcher for educational purposes only.

DiscretionResults will exclusively be published and/or shared with 3rd parties only if anonymized and on aggregated level so that:• results or any information provided cannot be related to individual participants• Participating individuals and/or companies cannot be identified

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R. (Robin) OduberStudent MSc. Business AdministrationRotterdam School of ManagementErasmus UniversityM:+31 (0) 6 106 75 817robin.oduber@cgi.com | Oduberrp@hotmail.com