MDT Case Study

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Having both complementary and compatible alliance partners was essential fundamental for MDT’s alliance strategy. In the second-degree perspective, interrelated-partner relationships are examined (Greve et al., 2014). Although each partner have their own alliances, not one interrelated partnership among MDT’s partners has been found. Therefore, MDT has a hub-and-spoke configuration and it is actually the same picture as Figure 1. Because MDT is at the centre of a hub-and-spoke portfolio, MDT has an easy access to new information, cooperation and power from each alliance partners that allow MDT to create new innovations (Greve et al., 2014). The medical device industry can be considered rather dynamic. As mentioned, the macro-environment of …show more content…

The largest acquisition of Covidien is obviously a complementary strategy of MDT on medical technology especially in the surgical field. Figure 3 demonstrates the MDT’s acquisitions and the geographical distances to the acquired company. The acquisitions of Covidien and Sophono Inc increased not only the MDT’s industry position in size, but also it increased the MDT’s ability for resource transfer and capabilities, since these two firms have a greater multinational scope with their distribution and R&D environment (Anand, Capron and Mitchell, 2005). According to Vermeulen and Barkema, acquisitions have benefits of achieving greater market power, overcoming entry barriers, acquiring new knowledge and resources, however it involves high risks of the cost for acquiring firms and the cost of integrating the acquired companies (2001). Through the acquisition of Covidien, MDT acquired partially new surgical domain, and related domains such as vascular, which is preferable condition for acquisition (Vermeulen and Barkema, 2001). Although acquisition in high-tech sector is not recommended by Hagedoorn and Duysters (2002) since the degree of flexibility and learning might be limited, however Vermeulen and Barkema (2001) support the acquisitions in a way that acquisition broaden the company’s knowledge from external input which can break inertia that stimulates the development of integrating skills for combining new and existing domains. Nevertheless, MDT should be very careful with the port-M&A performance in innovation. Since the empirical theory expects the gain from the innovative performance of acquiring firm, thus from Covidien and other M&A firms, will be maximized in the first years, and it tends to drop (Cloodt, Hagendoorn and Van Kranenburg,

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