IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v132y2021icp327-339.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Masking, claiming and preventing innovation in cross-border B2B relationships: Neo-colonial frameworks of power in global IT industry

Author

Listed:
  • Malik, Ashish
  • Mahadevan, Jasmin
  • Sharma, Piyush
  • Nguyen, Tuyet-Mai

Abstract

This paper analyzes the role of innovation in cross-border business-to-business (B2B) relationships within the born-global information technology (IT) industry to unmask the assertion that some nations, such as India, are simply ‘less innovative’ than others. We reveal a dark side in B2B relationships that masks, claims and prevents innovation. The dark side in innovation in the Indian IT industry is often manifested via three mechanisms of power; namely, a) masking the true ownership of innovation, b) preventing innovation by dominant organizational structures in multinational enterprises (MNEs), and c) finally, the institutionalization of these practices in MNEs. We show when and how the dark side effects in (dis-) innovation are institutionalized in the business system itself through neo-colonial influences and trace power imbalances across multiple interfaces, such as headquarters – subsidiary or service provider – client. We discuss the theoretical contributions and managerial implications of our findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Malik, Ashish & Mahadevan, Jasmin & Sharma, Piyush & Nguyen, Tuyet-Mai, 2021. "Masking, claiming and preventing innovation in cross-border B2B relationships: Neo-colonial frameworks of power in global IT industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 327-339.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:132:y:2021:i:c:p:327-339
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.044
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296321002812
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.044?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chacko G. Kannothra & Stephan Manning & Nardia Haigh, 2018. "How Hybrids Manage Growth and Social–Business Tensions in Global Supply Chains: The Case of Impact Sourcing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 271-290, March.
    2. Eugenia Rosca & Jack Reedy & Julia C. Bendul, 2018. "Does Frugal Innovation Enable Sustainable Development? A Systematic Literature Review," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(1), pages 136-157, January.
    3. Robert M. Grant, 1996. "Prospering in Dynamically-Competitive Environments: Organizational Capability as Knowledge Integration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(4), pages 375-387, August.
    4. Lazzeretti, Luciana & Capone, Francesco, 2016. "How proximity matters in innovation networks dynamics along the cluster evolution. A study of the high technology applied to cultural goods," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 5855-5865.
    5. Parthasarathi Banerjee, 2004. "The Indian Software Industry," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-00104-6.
    6. Burgos-Mascarell, Andrea & Ribeiro-Soriano, Domingo & Martínez-López, Miguel, 2016. "Dystopia deconstructed: Applying the triple helix model to a failed utopia," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 1845-1850.
    7. Un, C. Annique & Rodríguez, Alicia, 2018. "Local and Global Knowledge Complementarity: R&D Collaborations and Innovation of Foreign and Domestic Firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 137-152.
    8. Benjamin Huybrechts & Helen Haugh, 2018. "The Roles of Networks in Institutionalizing New Hybrid Organizational Forms : Insights from the European Renewable Energy Cooperative Network," Post-Print hal-02312044, HAL.
    9. Ashish Malik & Venkataraman Nilakant, 2011. "Extending the “size matters” debate," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(1), pages 111-132, January.
    10. Gebauer, Johannes & Füller, Johann & Pezzei, Roland, 2013. "The dark and the bright side of co-creation: Triggers of member behavior in online innovation communities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(9), pages 1516-1527.
    11. Gavin Jack & Robert Westwood, 2009. "International and Cross-Cultural Management Studies," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-24844-1.
    12. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Prashant Kale & M. S. Krishnan & Jitendra V. Singh, 2005. "Where do capabilities come from and how do they matter? A study in the software services industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 25-45, January.
    13. Zhang, Yumeng & Leischnig, Alexander & Heirati, Nima & Henneberg, Stephan C., 2021. "Dark-side-effect contagion in business relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 260-270.
    14. Chung, Henry F.L. & Kingshott, Russel P.J. & MacDonald, Robyn V.G. & Putranta, Martinus Parnawa, 2021. "Dynamism and B2B firm performance: The dark and bright contingent role of B2B relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 250-259.
    15. Bolzani, Daniela & Marabello, Selenia & Honig, Benson, 2020. "Exploring the multi-level processes of legitimacy in transnational social enterprises," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(3).
    16. Noordhoff, C.S. & Kyriakopoulos, K. & Moorman, C. & Pauwels, P. & Dellaert, B.G.C., 2011. "The Bright Side and Dark Side of Embedded Ties In Business-to-Business Innovation," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2011-008-MKT, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    17. Yanto Chandra, 2017. "A time-based process model of international entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(4), pages 423-451, May.
    18. Dharma Raju Bathini & George Mathew Kandathil, 2019. "An Orchestrated Negotiated Exchange: Trading Home-Based Telework for Intensified Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 411-423, January.
    19. Malik, Ashish & Froese, Fabian Jintae & Sharma, Piyush, 2020. "Role of HRM in knowledge integration: Towards a conceptual framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 524-535.
    20. Tina C Ambos & Sebastian H Fuchs & Alexander Zimmermann, 2020. "Managing interrelated tensions in headquarters–subsidiary relationships: The case of a multinational hybrid organization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(6), pages 906-932, August.
    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. Malik, Ashish & Froese, Fabian Jintae, 2022. "Corruption as a perverse Innovation: The dark side of digitalization and corruption in international business," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 682-693.

    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. Malik, Ashish & Sharma, Piyush & Pereira, Vijay & Temouri, Yama, 2021. "From regional innovation systems to global innovation hubs: Evidence of a Quadruple Helix from an emerging economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 587-598.
    2. Pereira, Vijay & Budhwar, Pawan & Temouri, Yama & Malik, Ashish & Tarba, Shlomo, 2021. "Investigating Investments in agility strategies in overcoming the global financial crisis - The case of Indian IT/BPO offshoring firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    3. Kazadi, Kande & Lievens, Annouk & Mahr, Dominik, 2016. "Stakeholder co-creation during the innovation process: Identifying capabilities for knowledge creation among multiple stakeholders," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 525-540.
    4. C. Lakshman & Sangeetha Lakshman & Kubilay Gok, 2023. "Managers’ knowledge and customer-focused knowledge management as dynamic capabilities: implications for innovation performance," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 246-274, February.
    5. Tina C Ambos & Sebastian H Fuchs & Alexander Zimmermann, 2020. "Managing interrelated tensions in headquarters–subsidiary relationships: The case of a multinational hybrid organization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(6), pages 906-932, August.
    6. Ho, Hillbun (Dixon) & Lu, Ruichang, 2015. "Performance implications of marketing exploitation and exploration: Moderating role of supplier collaboration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1026-1034.
    7. Liu, Ting & Li, Xizhuo, 2022. "How Do MNCs Conduct Local Technological Innovation in a Host Country? An Examination From Subsidiaries' Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).
    8. Magnani, Giovanna & Gioia, Denny, 2023. "Using the Gioia Methodology in international business and entrepreneurship research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    9. Thomas Bauwens & Benjamin Huybrechts & Frédéric Dufays, 2020. "Understanding the Diverse Scaling Strategies of Social Enterprises as Hybrid Organizations," Post-Print hal-02312322, HAL.
    10. Hurtak, Stefan & Kashyap, Vishal & Ehret, Michael, 2022. "Lightening the dark side of customer participation – The mitigating role of relationship performance in business-to-business project contexts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 220-231.
    11. Michele Bianchi & Michael J. Roy & Simon Teasdale, 2022. "Towards a Multi-Level Understanding of the Strategies Employed in Managing Hybridity: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Seung Hyun Lee & Choon Seong Leem & Dae Jung Bae, 2018. "The impact of technology capability, human resources, internationalization, market resources, and customer satisfaction on annual sales growth rates of Korean software firms," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 171-184, September.
    13. Elsahn, Ziad & Earl, Anna, 2022. "Alternative ways of studying time in qualitative international business research: A review and future agenda," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).
    14. Manning, Stephan, 2022. "From mainstream to niche: How value regimes shift in emerging economy upgrading," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    15. Malik, Ashish & Budhwar, Pawan & Kandade, Kiran, 2022. "Nursing excellence: A knowledge-based view of developing a healthcare workforce," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 472-483.
    16. Anandasivam Gopal & Sanjay Gosain, 2010. "Research Note ---The Role of Organizational Controls and Boundary Spanning in Software Development Outsourcing: Implications for Project Performance," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 960-982, December.
    17. Kaushik, Vineet & Tewari, Shobha & Sahasranamam, Sreevas & Hota, Pradeep Kumar, 2023. "Towards a precise understanding of social entrepreneurship: An integrated bibliometric–machine learning based review and research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    18. Guenzi, Paolo & Sajtos, Laszlo & Troilo, Gabriele, 2016. "The dual mechanism of sales capabilities in influencing organizational performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 3707-3713.
    19. Bindu Singh & M.K. Rao, 2016. "Examining the Effects of Intellectual Capital on Dynamic Capabilities in Emerging Economy Context: Knowledge Management Processes as a Mediator," Emerging Economy Studies, International Management Institute, vol. 2(1), pages 110-128, May.
    20. Morgan, Neil A. & Slotegraaf, Rebecca J. & Vorhies, Douglas W., 2009. "Linking marketing capabilities with profit growth," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 284-293.

    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:eee:jbrese:v:132:y:2021:i:c:p:327-339. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    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.