The effects of innovation on vertical structure: perspectives on transaction costs and competences

We analyze how transaction cost economics and competence arguments determine vertical organization boundaries when firms react to innovation. Existing perspectives and empirical evidence have been ambiguous because of conflicting tensions between the two frameworks and simplistic views of innovation. Using Henderson and Clark's (1990) innovation categories and a careful review of both theories, we show that it is possible to reach a consistent set of predictions on vertical integration and to reconcile apparently conflicting empirical results.