Partnership and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry: the case of clinical research

This study attempts to test the hypothesis that collaborative research projects boost R&D performance. More specifically, through an empirical investigation, it ascertains which organizational solution best enhances scientific impact, focusing on a sample of phase II and III clinical trials and using citations in scientific journals as a measure. The main findings confirm that there are substantial differences in the ability of distinct research organizations to foster innovation, with the collaborative solution more likely to be productive. All in all, this result supports the literature asserting that collaborative networks play a productive role in knowledge domains. It may also offer an explanation for the puzzle characterizing the pharmaceutical industry, where extensive consolidation has coincided with a fall in R&D productivity.