Hidden Champions (HCs) are firms unknown to the wider public, but global leaders in the niche markets they serve. This paper looks at distinctive features of these firms, focusing on their dynamic capabilities. Employing a unique data base on German firms, we identify a representative sample of...

This paper explores a pathway to commercializing user innovations hitherto not studied, namely, the vertical diversification of a user firm into an upstream industry supplying capital goods, and subsequent coexistence of user and manufacturing units. Such coexistence creates synergies regarding...

We study the effect of social connections between divisional managers and CEO on the scale and success of innovation activities in U.S. diversified conglomerates. Divisional managers who previously worked or studied with CEO file a greater number of patents during their tenure at the segment....