Wageningen University – Social Science Department
Chair Group - Communication and Innovation Studies
The role of communication in the internationalization processes of
Research and Technology Organizations (RTO):
A comparison study between Tecnalia and
Wageningen University and Research Center
MSc- Thesis
Ainara Alonso Silva
Supervisors:
Dr. ir. L.W.A. Klerkx
Communication and Innovation Studies Group
Dr. PJAM, Smeets
Alterra

INTRODUCTION
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
RESEARCH
FINDINGS
CONCLUSIONS
LIMITATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction
EUROPEAN RESEARCH ARENA
• market globalization
• socio-economic crisis
• new ways of permanency
• fragmentation of the ERA
• mechanisms to promote collaboration
importance of RTOs
• link innovation with research
• mobilize coalitions
• tackle the Grand Challenges
• build scale and scope
• technological capabilities

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS (RTOs)
“specialized knowledge organizations dedicated to the
development and transfer of science and technology to the benefit
of the economy and society” EARTO.” 3 Diffusion, Dissemination
Through demonstrators,
contract research, consulting,
APPLIED licensing, spin-offs,
2
publication, advanced
RTOs play a Technology Development
training, etc
Through cooperation with
significant and key actual and potential users,
integrating role in EU value chain partners and
others to turn knowledge
research, bridging into value-added
the gap between technology
KNOWLEDGE
basic research and
practical 1 Competence Building
Through socio economic
monitoring and dialogue,
applications and in- house strategic
working with BASIC
research, university
cooperation,
universities,
governments and PUBLIC CORE COMPETITIVE CUSTOMER
PUBLIC AND PRIVET REVENUES
enterprises to find
Source: European Commission
practical solutions to FUNDING
key societal
challenges. founded for different policy proposes
variety of characteristics

SUITABILITY OF THE RESEARCH: why?
Europe’s Research and Technology
Organisations (RTOs) have been INTERNATIONALIZATION
making a major contribution to +
innovation excellence, economic COMMUNICATION
competitiveness and social progress
across Europe for 60 years.
RTOs’ track record is undeniable, THE RESEARCH:
but it goes largely unreported. “The role of communication in
internationalization processes of
Against the current backdrop of fiscal
RTOs: a comparison study between
austerity, urgent Grand Challenges
Tecnalia and Wageningen
and ERA objectives, European and
University and Research Center”
national policy makers want real
innovation impact.
RTOs must move fast into new ways of
permanency.

Theoretical framework
INTERNATIONALIZATION
Business internationalization
Uppsala Internationalization Model (U-M)
Innovation-related Internationalization Models (I-M)
Born Global
Network approach
RTOs Internationalization
primary or infancy stage: basic
collaboration abroad; publications;
informal exchanges; cooperation
agreements or technology alliances
intermediate or second stage: acquiring
new foreign clients; establishing R&D
facilities abroad through: foreign
controlled affiliates or by investing in
foreign countries

ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN INTERNATIONALIZATION PROCESSES
internationalization activities are
full of processes related to Communication approaches that could be crucial in
alliances, connections, internationalization processes:
reputation, capacity building, FACTOR I: Building a strategic organization chart
knowledge transfer, deal with FACTOR II: Organizational culture
power, branding… where FACTOR III: Network building
communication is relevant. FACTOR IV: Communication in project building

The research
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Main question: What is the role of the communication in the internationalization
processes of RTO?
•In which internationalization stage are now both centers?
1.Which are the main internationalization barriers and needs that these two
organizations find to start or improve an internationalization process?
2.Which are the main goals in terms of internationalization for the coming
years?
3.Which are the main challenges to approach the desired goals in the
coming years in terms of internationalization?
•Is communication a strategic element in the internationalization processes?
1.Is communication a strategic element of the organizations participating in
the internationalization processes?
2.How are the five communication elements identified before
(organizational culture; organizational structure; international cooperation;
reputation; knowledge management and transfer)taken into account in the
internationalization processes?

Wageningen UR Tecnalia
Born to fulfill the demand from the industry Strategy to give technological solutions to
and public sector in the University hot-topics. the remaining industries of the zone.
Focus on 5 main research domains: 1.663 people on the staff
•Agro-technology and Food Sciences organizational model
•Animal Sciences based on 5 business units:
•Environmental Sciences Sustainable Development
•Plant Sciences ICT-European Software Institute
•Social Sciences Industry and transport
in a transversal way. Innovation and Society
48% of the turnover financed by the Dutch Health
Government 116 million of income,
44% financed by the Basque Government

METHODOLOGY
Literature research
Exploratory/Qualitative research:
16 interviews in total
Snowball sampling
Semi-structured interviews
Data Analysis:
Interpretive coding technique

Findings
The internationalization stage
Corporate communications
Organizational Culture
Network, alliances and project management

INTERNATIONALIZATION
Wageningen UR Tecnalia
Stage •Institute-based. •Unit-based.(research internationalization)
•Permanently located in China, Brazil and with •Europe oriented
representatives for Africa, Latin America, Asia •Shared facilities and innovative formulas (sales network, joint
and Europe ventures)
Who •14 people set up of the internationalization plan; •1 person in the internationalization strategy (management
regional account managers, brokerage board), one in each unit.
The strategy •Prioritization of topics and countries. •Sales increment and a better connectivity rate with other
•Proactive /passive international stakeholders.
•Subsidiary offices/on-request •Is not a prioroty to have owned structures.
Markets •Emerging countries: volume in research •Sophisticated and emerging markets are important, markets
capacity, quality and funding opportunities Two with a good or interresting innovation system.
country categories.
Countries •Priority: China, India, South Korea, Eastern •Latin America, Balkans, Arabic Emirates, Jordan and Qatar.
Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico.
•2nd type Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan,
western Africa
Barriers •No internal; external new policy and funding cut •We don´t know how to reach those markets.
from the government; new target group. •Language.
•Personnel mobility
Strengths •Network and contacts, embassies and •Important role in European Projects
counsellor´s support;

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
• Communication is an important issue for both centers, they mainly work in
“branding”, “reputation”, “media” and other strategic tasks, but also in
“brochure and publications”, “contact management” or “event organization”.
•Communication departments can be found in the whole structure of the
organization, but mainly differentiated in two levels: corporate (strategic)
and institute communication (assistance function).
•Gap between corporate-communication and institute-communication.
•“..let the outside world know what Wageningen is doing, that’s the main objective
to develop or that they meet our international portfolio: what are our strengths, our
competences… So, that´s one thing for the outside world. Another one, is let
people inside Wageningen know what we are doing internationally..(RW1:12-17)”
•“is important to have synchronicity between what people are working in the field
and what we are communicating” (RW1:86-88)
•New communication approaches should be needed to reach new targets.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Tecnalia
Wageningen UR •Internal communication has three main
•There are no special actions to build focal points: personnel development,
up a common organization culture information flow and organizational
with shared values and goals. culture
•Internal communication channels •“integration of the culture”. It defines a
like the intranet, meetings, top-down strategy to detect the main
newsletters, informative emails and a barriers and actions to facilitate the
magazine, are the tools used. integration of the new culture.
•Each center has its own culture, most •“Commitment”, an evaluation of the
of the “big-issues” or milestones are compromise of the employees with the
communicated to everyone in the organization. The main objective is to raise
organization. the compromise with the organization and
•Competing attitudes between the participation by 30%. It takes into
institutes. account four factors: the significance of the
position, leadership, team work and
participation.
• One of the priorities is to establish a
common view and culture focused on the
internationalization of the organization

NETWORK, ALLIANCES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Wageningen UR
• WUR has a strong scientific reputation
around the world. This reputation is based
on the number of publications, their good
position in the research rankings but also Tecnalia
from a good selection of partners all over the •Contact management and network
world.
building is not their work:
“researchers research”
• Institutional relations are crucial, that’s
because the role of knowledge brokers •Most of the network is related to
become key for the internationalization.
European projects, more efforts in this
sense are needed.
• Lack of knowledge on cultural
communication, group’s mediation and
facilitation, or management skills are some
of the mentioned barriers.
• Researchers demand support from
communication to approach these new
targets.

Conclusions
According to the results, we can state that RTOs don’t follow
stage-based internationalization theories, using a broader
meaning of internationalization.
RTO´s are embedded in complex processes where alliances,
networks and reputation are important ingredients for
internationalization.
Different paths of internationalization. Tecnalia is closer to a “primary stage”
of internationalization and in the process of developing their possibilities inside
this stage, when Wageningen UR could be a bit further facing a “secondary” or
“mature” stage where it is important to look for new investors.

•New context trends and new business
reality needs from new communication
formulas adapted to the environment.
•Complex hierarchical structures leak
information, loosing opportunities.
•These organizations should evolve into
open culture organizations where
information flow and learning opportunities
are guaranteed.
•An inventory of internal knowledge and
experience should be done, to enhance
learning and cooperation.

•Detected communication levels are necessary in a proper combination, it is
clear that researchers demand more strategic communication to tackle new
challenges.
•Even internal communication tools are implemented , they should be revised
to check their usability and improve their use between employees.
•In the case of Wageningen UR an internal communication research should be
done to detect constrains and plan solutions and actions to develop a common
culture.
•Tecnalia, should focus on reinforcing the internationalization mindset.

Limitations & Recommnendations
Limitations of the research…
The overview of the study could be partial:
-Snowball sampling
-Complexity of the organizations and knowledge of the author
-Could be possible that selected group does not reflect the real overview
Recommendations for further research…
• Due to the limited number of participants of the study, research
on a bigger scale would be relevant in order to generalize these
results and findings. (EARTO, National policy makers, RTOs)
• More research on their internationalization processes could shed
light to the understanding of international research collaboration
processes, facilitating them and establishing better practices.
•Both institutions are immerse in changing processes, the research
should be repeated once both organizations start working as a
whole.

questions…

thanks
…
Ainara Alonso Silva