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The Impact of Inter-firm Cooperation on Performance: A Two-Region Experience

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Cooperation, Clusters, and Knowledge Transfer

Part of the book series: Advances in Spatial Science ((ADVSPATIAL))

Abstract

The management literature provides extensive coverage of the different motives and factors that encourage companies to cooperate and adhere to cooperative relationships. Nielsen (1988), who influenced a wide body of authors (Heide and Miner 1992; Parkhe 1993; Hagedoorn and Schakenraad 1994; Mohr and Spekman 1994; Gulati 1995; Browning et al. 1995; Holm et al. 1999; Afuah 2009), seeks to demonstrate that cooperative strategies may ethically boost organisational efficiency in various circumstances. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, he sets out the utility of cooperative strategies within the scope of concepts such as the environmental life cycle, generic strategies and aggregating value before concluding that strategies involving cooperation between major corporations may be more efficient than external market mechanisms. Hence, cooperative strategies are susceptible to enhancing organisational efficiency in various different market scenarios.

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Acknowledgements

This study was undertaken within the scope of the joint research project—ACTION—action for cross-border cooperation for innovation and business opportunities (2009–2012), the POCTEP program, between CEC (the Centro Business Council), ADE Agencia de Inversiones y Serviçios de Castilla Leon, UBI, PARKURBIS, Fundación Parque Cientifico de la Universidade de Salamanca, Fundación Parque Cientifico de la Universidade de Valladolid, and FRAH (Fundación Rei Afonso Henriques).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Management and Economics Department and NECE - Research Unit, University of Beira Interior, Polo IV Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209, Covilhã, Portugal

    João J. M. Ferreira & Mário L. Raposo

  2. ISLA, Leiria and NECE – Research Centre of Business Sciences, UBI, Polo IV Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209, Covilhã Covilhã, Portugal

    Cristina I. Fernandes

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  1. João J. M. Ferreira
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  2. Mário L. Raposo
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  3. Cristina I. Fernandes
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Correspondence to João J. M. Ferreira .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Management and Economics, University of Beira interior, Estrada do Sineiro, pólo IV, Covilhã, 6200-209, Portugal

    João J.M. Ferreira

  2. , Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, pólo IV, Covilhã, 6200-209, Portugal

    Mário Raposo

  3. , School of Social & Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, Tilburg, 5037 AB, Netherlands

    Roel Rutten

  4. , Economics and Regional Studies, University of Pécs, Rákóczi 80, Pécs, 7622, Hungary

    Attila Varga

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Ferreira, J.J.M., Raposo, M.L., Fernandes, C.I. (2013). The Impact of Inter-firm Cooperation on Performance: A Two-Region Experience. In: Ferreira, J., Raposo, M., Rutten, R., Varga, A. (eds) Cooperation, Clusters, and Knowledge Transfer. Advances in Spatial Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33194-7_5

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