Danish Research Unit

Evolutionary theories of technological change and industrial dynamics give primary importance to interaction between heterogeneous agents, endowed with complementary assets and competencies. Accordingly, support to co-operative R&D is central to technology policy, as a mean for increasing system connectivity, triggering virtuous cycles of learning and promoting variety. The paper investigates the “chemistry of technological co-operation”, relating its effectiveness and results to the partners’ relational research capacity, i.e. their ability to evaluate, integrate, process and exploit knowledge flows generated by the interaction. A functional specification for the relational research capacity is proposed and its properties are investigated. The formal analysis works as a guideline for the statement of research hypothesis related to the effectiveness of co-operative R&D programmes, to be tested on empirical grounds.