This paper reviews the literature on strategic alliances to illustrate how they arecharacterized, what types exist and, specifically, what phenomena are relevant when the alliance seeks to facilitate business innovation. In line with this purpose, it also examines the way literature characterizes the concepts of innovation, learning and knowledge, as well as organizational capabilities, as important factors of the process of knowledge transfer between partners.

This paper reviews the literature on strategic alliances to illustrate how they arecharacterized, what types exist and, specifically, what phenomena are relevant when the alliance seeks to facilitate business innovation. In line with this purpose, it also examines the way literature characterizes the concepts of innovation, learning and knowledge, as well as organizational capabilities, as important factors of the process of knowledge transfer between partners.

Esta investigación plantea responder en primer lugar la siguiente pregunta ¿En qué medida la transferencia de conocimiento tácito genera mayores niveles de logro que la transferencia de conocimiento codificado en una alianza con objetivos de innovación? En segundo lugar se espera responder ¿De qué forma la capacidad de absorción de la empresa receptora así como la cercanía de conocimiento de los socios y la confianza entre ambos aumenta el impacto del conocimiento tácito respecto del conocimiento codificado? Se espera verificar si aquellas empresas con una mayor base de conocimiento en áreas de investigación y desarrollo, así como mejor experiencia y relación con sus socios logran aprovechar más el conocimiento tácito para lograr mejores resultados de la alianza.

This paper reviews the literature on strategic alliances to illustrate how they arecharacterized, what types exist and, specifically, what phenomena are relevant when the alliance seeks to facilitate business innovation. In line with this purpose, it also examines the way literature characterizes the concepts of innovation, learning and knowledge, as well as organizational capabilities, as important factors of the process of knowledge transfer between partners.