Promoting Synergies in Multiproduct Firms: Toward a Resource-based View

We address the issue of promoting synergies in divisionalized, diversified firms from the perspectives of the resource-based view and recent work on corporate headquarters, thus connecting the analysis of sustained competitive advantage with organizational issues. We begin by clarifying the concept of synergy, and argue that the concept of complementarity is particularly likely to capture most meanings of synergy. Furthermore, we argue that the raison d’etre of the corporate headquarters lies in their synergy-creating potential. The reasoning is illustrated with examples from Danish corporations, specifically Danfoss and Bang & Olufsen. Acknowledgments The comments of Jens Frøslev Christensen, Massimo Colombo, Bengt-Åke Lundvall, and Anders McIlquham Schmidt on earlier versions of this paper are gratefully acknowledged. However, we alone are responsible for all remaining errors, omissions, obscurities etc.