Best Co-operation Design of R&D Projects in Maritime Energy Devices —The Case of EMOVE

Sofia Ventura Soares¹, Sonia Sapolnik Dahab¹, Pedro da Costa Balas Ferreira^2
(1. NOVA School of Business and Economics, Portugal; 2. EMOVE–Innovative Technologies, Portugal)

Abstract: This work project is an empirical study focused on the technological co-operation and innovation management areas applied to a Maritime Business case. It aims to study the future co-operative project between EMOVE and WavEC. These two companies are facing doubts about the best way to engage in co-operation to build a maritime shell—BluSphere—that can support an electric generator-ESG-from sea wave physical stress. The analysis and the suggestion on the co-operative arrangement that best fit EMOVE’s case is supported on academic papers about co-operation and innovation management as well as empirical information. First we will present the reasons for co-operation, then the different modes of technological co-operation, the potential risks associated, partners selection, success factors and finally the best fit of technological acquisition considering both the organizational factors and the technological factors. Complementary, based on empirical information of EMOVE’s previous experience on technological co-operation with other entities and its current relationship with WavEC, a model will be elected as the most suitable one to a win-win situation. From the four options of co-operation on technological development (Yoshino & Rangan, 1995): technology license, R&D joint arrangement, sourcing agreement and joint venture, the latter seems the best option for EMOVE in the short run. In the long run, the joint venture must be dissolute, and the co-operation agreement must change to a sourcing agreement.

Key words: co-operation; innovation management; wave energy; maritime business

JEL codes: L140, L240, L940, O320