Abstract
This study constructs a mechanism of the influence of Guanxi between boundary spanners on opportunistic behaviors in collaborative innovation projects based on the theory of reasoned action model. The study conducts a survey in the automobile industry in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, and analyzes the research data using the structural equation model. The findings show that Guanxi has a negative an significant influence on opportunistic behavior attitudes and subjective norms., Guanxi has the greater influence on subjective norms than attitudes. Then, opportunistic behavior attitudes and subjective norms positively influence intentions. The influence of subjective norms is stronger. The attitudes and subjective norms of opportunistic behaviors also play mediation roles. Furthermore, opportunistic behavior intentions have a positive and significant influence on behaviors. In short, the study’s findings reveal a mechanism of Guanxi between boundary spanners influencing opportunistic behaviors of boundary spanners. It also provides a reference for corporate managers to govern opportunistic behaviors of collaborator while inhabiting opportunistic behaviors of their own boundary spanners.
Highlights
Guanxi is defined as the intimacy and permanence of the private relationship interaction between boundary spanners of both parties outside of their work in the collaborative innovation project of the automobile industry chain
The respondents’ working years are mainly 6–9 years, accounting for 60.3% of the total. It implies that boundary spanners are always employees who have extensive experience in collaboration work
The findings show that attitudes and subjective norms have a positive influence on intentions to engage in opportunistic behaviors
Summary
Innovation is a path for companies to gain excessive profits (Vrontis and Christofi, 2021). (abbreviated “FAW”) in Changchun, for example, is a large-scale vehicle manufacturer in China It widely employs the strategy of collaborative innovation. Recent research has gradually revealed that forces based on transaction cost theory are woefully inadequate for long-term oriented collaborative innovation. Informal governance forces based on social exchange theory, such as Guanxi, trust, and justice, can serve as a viable alternative to formal constructs. The Chinese-specific concept Guanxi is thought to perhaps serve as an informal governance force of opportunistic behaviors in Chinese inter-organization relationships. This study will examine the influence of Guanxi between boundary spanners on the opportunistic behaviors in automobile industry collaborative innovation projects in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. The mechanism of Guanxi influencing opportunistic behaviors of boundary spanners will be revealed by TRA’s construction of the research model.
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