Technological assets accumulation and organisational structure in Spanish telecommunications equipment manufacturing companies: a case study

The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between organisational structure and the accumulation of technological assets in Spanish telecommunications equipment manufacturing companies. In order to do this, the methods of asset acquisition have been analysed and a model presented which enables us to evaluate 1) the availability of technological assets (asset endowment) and 2) the degree to which they are utilised by the organisation (asset leverage). Following this, the effect of the parameters that define the organisational structure on the endowment and leverage of assets within the R&D departments has been studied. Five companies in this sector were analysed over the period 1996-2000.