Temporal Sequence of Knowledge Sourcing in Pharmaceutical MNEs

This paper explores the temporal sequencing of the evolution of internal and external knowledge sourcing by Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) in the pharma sector, between 1976 and 2016, a period that saw the biotechnology sector coalesce and gather momentum. We find that MNEs' knowledge sourcing followed a pattern of dynamic substitution, in which internal knowledge search was replaced, over time, by local inter-organizational and international intraMNE knowledge sourcing. It might be that the key to pharma MNEs' longevity is their ability successfully internalize externally generated knowledge.