IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v47y2010i4p597-624.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Quality Meets Structure: Generalized Reciprocity and Firm‐Level Advantage in Strategic Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Joakim Wincent
  • Sergey Anokhin
  • Daniel Örtqvist
  • Erkko Autio

Abstract

In this paper we extend previous research by combining network structural and network process approaches. Specifically, in a six‐year, three‐wave study of 41 firms in two strategic networks, we found that the interaction between generalized reciprocity among a focal firm's partners and network tie intensity and betweenness centrality improved firm performance. No influences were observed for the interaction involving degree centrality and generalized reciprocity. Our research suggests that managers in strategic networks may need to consider the balance between relationship‐extensive and relationship‐intensive strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Joakim Wincent & Sergey Anokhin & Daniel Örtqvist & Erkko Autio, 2010. "Quality Meets Structure: Generalized Reciprocity and Firm‐Level Advantage in Strategic Networks," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 597-624, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:47:y:2010:i:4:p:597-624
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00882.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00882.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00882.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ranjay Gulati, 1999. "Network location and learning: the influence of network resources and firm capabilities on alliance formation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(5), pages 397-420, May.
    2. Toby E. Stuart, 2000. "Interorganizational alliances and the performance of firms: a study of growth and innovation rates in a high‐technology industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(8), pages 791-811, August.
    3. Bill McEvily & Akbar Zaheer, 1999. "Bridging ties: a source of firm heterogeneity in competitive capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(12), pages 1133-1156, December.
    4. Manuel Becerra & Randi Lunnan & Lars Huemer, 2008. "Trustworthiness, Risk, and the Transfer of Tacit and Explicit Knowledge Between Alliance Partners," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 691-713, June.
    5. Rosenfeld, Stuart A., 1996. "Does cooperation enhance competitiveness? Assessing the impacts of inter-firm collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 247-263, March.
    6. Akbar Zaheer & Geoffrey G. Bell, 2005. "Benefiting from network position: firm capabilities, structural holes, and performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(9), pages 809-825, September.
    7. Walter, Jorge & Lechner, Christoph & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2007. "Knowledge transfer between and within alliance partners: Private versus collective benefits of social capital," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(7), pages 698-710, July.
    8. Håvard Ness, 2009. "Governance, Negotiations, and Alliance Dynamics: Explaining the Evolution of Relational Practice," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 451-480, May.
    9. Wim Vanhaverbeke & Victor Gilsing & Bonnie Beerkens & Geert Duysters, 2009. "The Role of Alliance Network Redundancy in the Creation of Core and Non‐core Technologies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 215-244, March.
    10. Autio, Erkko & Kanninen, Sami & Gustafsson, Robin, 2008. "First- and second-order additionality and learning outcomes in collaborative R&D programs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 59-76, February.
    11. Wiklund, Johan & Shepherd, Dean, 2005. "Entrepreneurial orientation and small business performance: a configurational approach," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 71-91, January.
    12. Kogut, Bruce, 1989. "The Stability of Joint Ventures: Reciprocity and Competitive Rivalry," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 183-198, December.
    13. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    14. Koen H. Heimeriks & Geert Duysters, 2007. "Alliance Capability as a Mediator Between Experience and Alliance Performance: An Empirical Investigation into the Alliance Capability Development Process," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 25-49, January.
    15. Mitchell P. Koza & Arie Y. Lewin, 1998. "The Co-Evolution of Strategic Alliances," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(3), pages 255-264, June.
    16. Raymond Van Wijk & Justin J. P. Jansen & Marjorie A. Lyles, 2008. "Inter‐ and Intra‐Organizational Knowledge Transfer: A Meta‐Analytic Review and Assessment of its Antecedents and Consequences," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 830-853, June.
    17. Allan Afuah, 2000. "How much do your co‐opetitors' capabilities matter in the face of technological change?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 397-404, March.
    18. T. K. Das & Bing‐Sheng Teng, 2002. "The Dynamics of Alliance Conditions in the Alliance Development Process," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 725-746, July.
    19. Jorge Walter & Christoph Lechner & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2008. "Disentangling Alliance Management Processes: Decision Making, Politicality, and Alliance Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 530-560, May.
    20. Alessia Sammarra & Lucio Biggiero, 2008. "Heterogeneity and Specificity of Inter‐Firm Knowledge Flows in Innovation Networks," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 800-829, June.
    21. Bharat N. Anand & Tarun Khanna, 2000. "Do firms learn to create value? The case of alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 295-315, March.
    22. Andrew C. Inkpen & Adva Dinur, 1998. "Knowledge Management Processes and International Joint Ventures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 454-468, August.
    23. Janet Bercovitz & Sandy D. Jap & Jack A. Nickerson, 2006. "The Antecedents and Performance Implications of Cooperative Exchange Norms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(6), pages 724-740, December.
    24. Jung Hoon Derick Sohn, 1994. "Social Knowledge as a Control System: A Proposition and Evidence from the Japanese FDI behavior," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 25(2), pages 295-324, June.
    25. Chong Ju Choi & Carla C. J. M. Millar & Caroline Y. L. Wong, 2005. "Knowledge and Exchange," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Knowledge Entanglements, chapter 0, pages 65-76, Palgrave Macmillan.
    26. Katy J. Mason & Sheena Leek, 2008. "Learning to Build a Supply Network: An Exploration of Dynamic Business Models," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 774-799, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Haifeng Wang & Longwei Tian & Yuan Li, 2019. "A tale of two cultures: Social networks and competitive advantage," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 321-347, June.
    2. Jing-Wen Huang & Yong-Hui Li, 2017. "Green Innovation and Performance: The View of Organizational Capability and Social Reciprocity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 309-324, October.
    3. Jafari-Sadeghi, Vahid & Amoozad Mahdiraji, Hannan & Busso, Donatella & Yahiaoui, Dorra, 2022. "Towards agility in international high-tech SMEs: Exploring key drivers and main outcomes of dynamic capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    4. Hugo Ernesto Martínez Ardila & Julián Eduardo Mora Moreno & Jaime Alberto Camacho Pico, 2020. "Networks of collaborative alliances: the second order interfirm technological distance and innovation performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 1255-1282, August.
    5. Thorgren, Sara & Wincent, Joakim & Eriksson, Jessica, 2011. "Too small or too large to trust your partners in multipartner alliances? The role of effort in initiating generalized exchanges," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 99-112, March.
    6. Dong-Young Kim & Pengcheng Zhu & Wenli Xiao & Yen-Ting Lin, 2020. "Customer degree centrality and supplier performance: the moderating role of resource dependence," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 22-38, June.
    7. Giaime Berti & Catherine Mulligan, 2016. "Competitiveness of Small Farms and Innovative Food Supply Chains: The Role of Food Hubs in Creating Sustainable Regional and Local Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-31, July.
    8. Wang, Ming-Chao & Chen, Pei-Chen & Fang, Shih-Chieh, 2018. "A critical view of knowledge networks and innovation performance: The mediation role of firms' knowledge integration capability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 222-233.
    9. Alexandra Rese & Lars Görmar & Alena Herbig, 2022. "Social networks in coworking spaces and individual coworker’s creativity," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 391-428, February.
    10. Mayer-Haug, Katrin & Read, Stuart & Brinckmann, Jan & Dew, Nicholas & Grichnik, Dietmar, 2013. "Entrepreneurial talent and venture performance: A meta-analytic investigation of SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 1251-1273.
    11. Sang Yoon Shin, 2019. "Network advantage’s effect on exit performance: examining venture capital’s inter-organizational networks," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 21-42, March.
    12. Wenjian Li & Yang Zhang & Yuanyuan Wu & Xue Han & Benhai Guo & Gang Xie, 2021. "Enterprise Reciprocity and Risk Preferences and the Sustainable Cooperation of Innovation Activities in Industrial Parks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    13. Parida, Vinit & Patel, Pankaj C. & Wincent, Joakim & Kohtamäki, Marko, 2016. "Network partner diversity, network capability, and sales growth in small firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 2113-2117.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mazzola, Erica & Perrone, Giovanni & Kamuriwo, Dzidziso Samuel, 2016. "The interaction between inter-firm and interlocking directorate networks on firm's new product development outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 672-682.
    2. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2015. "Entrepreneurship, innovation and regional growth: a network theory," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 103-128, June.
    3. Jorge Walter & Christoph Lechner & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2008. "Disentangling Alliance Management Processes: Decision Making, Politicality, and Alliance Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 530-560, May.
    4. Bo Bernhard Nielsen & Sabina Nielsen, 2009. "Learning and Innovation in International Strategic Alliances: An Empirical Test of the Role of Trust and Tacitness," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(6), pages 1031-1056, September.
    5. Patrizia Pastore & Antonio Ricciardi & Silvia Tommaso, 2020. "Contractual networks: an organizational model to reduce the competitive disadvantage of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Europe’s less developed regions. A survey in southern Italy," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1503-1535, December.
    6. Vanhaverbeke, W.P.M. & Beerkens, B.E. & Duysters, G.M., 2003. "Explorative and exploitative learning strategies in technology-based alliance networks," Working Papers 03.22, Eindhoven Center for Innovation Studies.
    7. Lee, Cheng-Yu & Wang, Ming-Chao & Huang, Yen-Chih, 2015. "The double-edged sword of technological diversity in R&D alliances: Network position and learning speed as moderators," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 450-461.
    8. Müller, Dirk, 2010. "Alliance Coordination, Dysfunctions, and the Protection of Idiosyncratic Knowledge in Strategic Learning Alliances," EconStor Preprints 41039, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    9. Wim Vanhaverbeke & Victor Gilsing & Bonnie Beerkens & Geert Duysters, 2009. "The Role of Alliance Network Redundancy in the Creation of Core and Non‐core Technologies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 215-244, March.
    10. Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz & Ranjay Gulati, 2012. "Toward a Theory of Extended Contact: The Incentives and Opportunities for Bridging Across Network Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(6), pages 1658-1681, December.
    11. Duysters, Geert & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Beerkens, Bonnie & Gilsing, Victor, 2007. "Exploration and Exploitation in Technology-based Alliance Networks," MERIT Working Papers 2007-020, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. Bilicz, Dávid, 2021. "A hálózatok és a kapcsolatok szerepe az innovációban és a tudás áramlásában. Szisztematikus szakirodalmi áttekintés [The role of networks and partnerships in innovation and knowledge flow - a syste," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(6), pages 674-698.
    13. Balboni, Bernardo & Marchi, Gianluca & Vignola, Marina, 2017. "Knowledge transfer in the context of buyer–supplier relationship: An analysis of a supplier's customer portfolio," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 277-287.
    14. Cristina Boari & F. Xavier Molina-Morales & Luis Martínez-Cháfer, 2017. "Direct and Interactive Effects of Brokerage Roles on Innovation in Clustered Firms," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3), pages 336-358, September.
    15. M. C. Guardo & K. R. Harrigan, 2016. "Shaping the path to inventive activity: the role of past experience in R&D alliances," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 250-269, April.
    16. Fischer, Denise & Greven, Andrea & Tornow, Mark & Brettel, Malte, 2021. "On the value of effectuation processes for R&D alliances and the moderating role of R&D alliance experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 606-619.
    17. Partanen, Jukka & Kohtamäki, Marko & Patel, Pankaj C. & Parida, Vinit, 2020. "Supply chain ambidexterity and manufacturing SME performance: The moderating roles of network capability and strategic information flow," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    18. Ho, Mia Hsiao-Wen & Wang, Fatima, 2015. "Unpacking knowledge transfer and learning paradoxes in international strategic alliances: Contextual differences matter," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 287-297.
    19. Gilsing, Victor & Nooteboom, Bart & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Duysters, Geert & van den Oord, Ad, 2008. "Network embeddedness and the exploration of novel technologies: Technological distance, betweenness centrality and density," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 1717-1731, December.
    20. Heimeriks, K. & Duysters, G.M. & Vanhaverbeke, W.P.M., 2004. "The evolution of alliance capabilities," Working Papers 04.20, Eindhoven Center for Innovation Studies.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:47:y:2010:i:4:p:597-624. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0022-2380 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.