STRATEGIC ALLIANCES OF SMALL BUSINESS AND THEIR PERFORMANCE

基于文献调查的结果和去年的一些访谈，我对中小企业的企业间合作，特别是合作研发进行了大规模的问卷调查实证分析。在2002年4月和7月/ 8月对6300家企业进行的问卷调查中，选取了255家以合作研发为主要联盟领域的企业作为实证分析的样本企业。在问卷调查中，我主要调查了中小企业与什么样的合作伙伴以什么样的组织和契约模式进行合作，以及他们从合作中获得了什么样的成果。基于调查数据，我以合作研发的“技术成功”（成果的专利申请）和“商业成功”（成果对安全增长的贡献）的概率作为因变量，进行多元回归分析（Probit analysis）。更可靠的是成员结构、组织和契约特征。计量经济学分析的结果支持了我的基本假设，即合作的这些特征会影响其成功的概率。具体而言，我发现：(1)大公司、不同行业的公司和商业伙伴的参与、客户的支持以及合作研发的过去经验和持续时间显著增加了合作成功的概率；(2)自己的研发活动对合作成功至关重要；(3)公共补贴对绩效有显著的负面影响。(4)与大学和科研院所的合作往往对绩效产生负面影响；(5)最非正式和最灵活的组织导致成功；(6)绩效取决于合作伙伴之间成本分担和成果分配的方式。对补贴与校企关系的负面效应有多种解释，这是进一步研究的重要课题之一。同样值得注意的是，技术和商业成功的重要决定因素是完全不同的。此外，我利用“日本企业结构与活动基本调查”的微观数据，对不同类型的企业间合作对企业绩效的影响进行了实证分析。我发现只有合作研发对未来利润率、劳动生产率和全要素生产率的提高有显著的正向影响。少

Based on the outcomes of the literature survey and some interviews in the last year, I carried out a large-scale questionnaire survey for empirical analysis of inter-firm co-operation, especially co-operative R&D, of the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Among 1,577 answers from the surveys in April and July/August 2002 with 6,300 firms, 255 firms participating in a co-operative R&D as a main field of alliances were selected as the sample firms of the empirical analysis.In the questionnaire, I investigated mainly with what kinds of partners the SMEs co-operated in what kinds of organizational and contractual patterns, and what outcome they achieved from the co-operation. Based on the survey data, I carried out multiple regression analysis (Probit analysis) with the probability of "technological success" ("patent application of the outcome") and "commercial success" ("contribution of the outcome to safes growth) of the co-operative R&D as the dependent variables. Independent va … More riables are those of membership structure and organizational and contractual features. The results of the econometric analyzes support my basic hypothesis that these characteristics of the co-operation affects its probability for success. Specifically, I found that (1) the probability of success is significantly increased by the participation of large firms, firms in different industries and business partners, support from customers, as well as the past experience and the duration of the co-operative R&D, (2) own R&D activity is essential for the success of co-operation, (3) public subsidies have significantly negative effects on performance, (4) the co-operation with universities and research institutes rather tends to have negative effects on performance, (5) the most informal and flexible organization leads to success, and (6) the performance depends on the way the cost is shared and the outcome is distributed among partners. There are several interpretations for the negative effects of subsidies and university-industry- relationship, which presents one of the important subjects for further research. It is also noteworthy that the important determinants of technological and commercial success are quite different.Moreover, I carried out an empirical analysis of the effect of different kinds of inter-firm co-operations on the performance of firms using micro data of "the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structures and Activities". I found that only co-operative R&D has significantly positive effect on future profit rate as well as increase of labor productivity and total factor productivity. Less