Practicing Uncertainty in R&D Networks – Explorative Evidence from a Semiconductor Industry Network

Abstract:     
Highly volatile industries are often confronted with a paradox: while exploiting existing technological paths by means of well-established practices, novel and yet unknown future technological landscapes need to be screened and opened up in parallel even though the necessary expertise is still lacking. Based upon a longitudinal case study that is informed by structuration theory, we reveal how the SEMATECH semiconductor network reconciles this paradox via the “stretching practice” of partnering; that is, selectively engaging with different present and potentially in the future relevant organizational actors to manage uncertainty. By identifying a set of practices that serves to selectively engage with different partners, we contribute to the debate on how to practice uncertainty in and with interorganizational networks.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 7

Keywords: practice, stretching, interorganizational network, uncertainty, semiconductor industry, CMOS

working papers series