The process of relational rent generation in corporate venture capital investments

Abstract

This paper investigates the process of relational rent generation in the context of corporate venture capital investments. Our findings show that creation of relational rent follows a sequential three-phase process with: 1) a determinant phase, defining potential rent generation through the presence of complementary resources and capabilities; 2) a socialisation phase, connecting this fundament to the rent generating 'engine'; and it is supposed to carry; 3) an actual rent generating phase, characterised by the ability to leverage complementarities inherent to the relationship, effective self-enforcement rather than third-party enforcement governance mechanisms, as well as a set-up providing incentives to encourage transparency and discourage free-riding. Moreover, we find the constructs within the phases to be complexly interrelated and identify a feedback loop between the first and the third phases.