Individual integrators - a key factor for knowledge and innovation in technology-based firms

• Recently the role of individuals in knowledge formation and innovation has been rediscovered by several authors. This paper builds on a study of extra inventive individuals, defined by their high patenting activity, in large technology-based firms to explore the importance of individual inventive activity also for firms in mature industries; to investigate the horizontal practices of these individuals and the role of collaboration; to understand how these horizontal practices permeate vertical innovation structures; and to extend the evolutionary framework on knowledge generation and innovation by adding knowledge integration as a key process, and distinguishing different types of knowledge retention.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Business and economics

Ekonomi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)