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ABSTRACT
Contemporary literature on intermediary organisations does not cover the history of these organisations in the early twentieth century or how their roles evolved. To understand the evolution of roles, this paper extends the application of dynamic capabilities theory from firms to intermediary organisations. It does this by studying a Dutch government innovation agency between 1910 and 1940 with dynamic capabilities in mediation and knowledge development. These capabilities are illustrated by nine examples that reveal how the agency's consultants modified and extended their resource base in order to continue supporting small and medium-sized enterprises while coping with considerable challenges and changes. Thereby, this paper shows that the dynamic capabilities theory can explain how intermediary organisations can adapt their roles.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Sue-Yen Tjong Tjin Tai is a Ph.D. student at Eindhoven University of Technology. She researches innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Netherlands from 1900 to 1940.
Mila Davids is Assistant Professor of History of Technology at Eindhoven University of Technology. She is project leader of a research project on Innovations and circulation of knowledge in the Netherlands during the twentieth century.
Notes
1 SMEs: firms with less than 51 employees.
2 ARND 1937.
3 Minutes of meeting, March and September 1900, HG-0245-01, inv.no.6.
4 Memorandum ‘Establishment of a technical information agency’ (HG-0245-01, inv.no.162).
5 See note 3.
6 1902. Tijdschrift der Nederlandsche Maatschappij ter bevordering van Nijverheid, 84–87; Notulen hoofdbestuur VFHN, 11-11-1901 (HG-0245-01, inv.no.6); De Ingenieur 17, no.3: 40.
7 1909. Tijdschrift der Maatschappij van Nijverheid, 345–349.
8 See note 6.
9 See note 7, 499.
10 1909. Staatsbegrooting 1910. 2.X.2. Bijl.A. MvT, 16, and 2.X.9-10. Bijl.A, 24–25.
11 See note 9.
12 KB no.37, 20-07-1910 (NA-2.02.14, inv.no.5615).
13 1912. Staatsbegrooting 1913. 2.X.10-11. Bijl.A, 26–28.
14 Correspondence land acquisition (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.10911).
15 ARND ≤1920.
16 Minutes of meeting, 15-06-1915 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.F4528).
17 VNF archive (NA-2.19.042.07).
18 ARND >1921.
19 Letter BvU, 30-09-1916, Letter RND laboratory, 11-04-1917 (BHIC-169, inv.no.106).
20 Letter BvU, 12-11-1917 (BHIC-169, inv.no.106).
21 Minutes of meeting, 13-10-1913 (BHIC-169, inv.no.26).
22 Letters Committee Mechanical and Maritime Engineering Faculty, 10-06-1912, 23-10-1913 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.10911).
23 Letter Steketee, 21-02-1916 (folder 2396), Letter Begemann, 21-02-1916 (folio 2398) (BHIC-169, inv.no.73).
24 Minutes of meeting, 15-06-915 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.4528). Letter Steketee, 21-02-1916 (BHIC-169, inv.no.73).
25 Minutes of meeting, 22-03-1916 (BHIC-169, inv.no.26).
26 Minutes of meeting, 09-01-1918 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.F4528).
27 Minutes of meeting, 15-06-1915, 26-06-1915 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.F4528).
28 Minutes of meeting, 27-10-1916, (BHIC-169, inv.no.108, folder ONRI, 1916-1927).
29 Minutes of meeting, 15-06-1915 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.F4528).
30 See note 28.
31 Letter from ONRI, May 1919 (BHIC-169, inv.no.108, folder ONRI, 1916–1927).
32 BHIC-169, inv.no.108.
33 1912. Staatsbegrooting 1913. 2.X.1-2. Bijlage A.
34 ARND ≤1920.
35 ARND 1921-1939. Also technical assistants’ reports (NA-2.06.083, inv.no.118).
36 Letter from RND laboratory director, 12-02-1919 (NA-2.06.001, inv.no.F4528).
37 ARND ≤1920, 23.
38 ARND.
39 ARND 1921-1923, 9-15.
40 ARND 1921-1924.
41 ARND 1924-1939.
42 ARND 1930.
43 Letter 28-02-1933, 28-03-1933 (HCO-350, inv.no.56).
44 ARND 1933-1935.
45 Minutes RND meeting, 12-11-1913 (BHIC-169, inv.no.26).
46 Folder Werktuigencrediet (HCO-350, inv.no.39).
47 ARND 1939, 3, 5, 6–7.