User-Producer Driven Innovation. A Case Study of a Drilling- and a Supply- Company, Partnering for Innovation, in the Norwegian Petroleum Supplier Industry

Abstract

This thesis explores the complexity of innovation processes that occur in collaboration between companies, and in particularly the dynamic relationship between users and producers in innovation processes. The empirical setting is service- and supply- firms in the Norwegian petroleum industry; more particularly partnering in advanced technology development for drilling. Previous literature on innovation processes claim that in most cases, there is a need for collaboration between firms in the process of innovation, as innovation requires the match between diverse sources of knowledge and other resources. Moreover, prior literature has found that successful partnerships take a long time to establish, and therefore a process perspective that looks into partnership development in innovation is necessary. This qualitative case study aims at contributing to the literature by explaining how user and producer partnerships in innovation unfolds, in order to explain why they collaborate in the intricate process of innovation, and advanced technology development. To shed light on this, the thesis has investigated several joint ventures between a drilling company and a technological supplier. By exploring these, the thesis argues that the complexity of the industry, and intricate process of innovation, creates a need for partnering in advanced technology development cases. The thesis presents some key factors for successful joint ventures when partnering for innovation. Furthermore, it suggests that an implemented technology should not be seen as the closure of the innovation process, but the next step in the continuous cycle of innovation.