Inter-firm Collaboration Research Articles

A Review on University-Industry Collaborations from an Institutional Theory and Institutional Resilience Perspective

Institutional theory posits that organizations are in a reciprocal relationship within their environment, and in this sense, organizations are both shaped by their environment and reconstruct the existing environment with their actions. In an environment where actors mutually and reciprocally influence each other, there are substantial literature studies showing that the institutional effects may be an important factor for determining interfirm collaborations. However, the literature on institutional explanations for the establishment or non-formation of collaborations between university and industry in such environmental settings is relatively limited. In that regard, we employ institutional approach as a conceptual basis for the understanding of the processes of university- industry interactions. In our conceptual study, we aim to extend the institutional perspective by focusing on interorganizational collaborations in terms of university industry collective interactions where the actors mutually concerned with the normative, coercive, and mimetic pressures. We introduce the concept of institutional resilience to Triple Helix Model to propose some new research avenues.

Data-related tensions in digital servitization ecosystems: A systematic literature review

This article investigates data-related tensions and their corresponding coping strategies arising from inter-firm collaboration in digital servitization ecosystems. We conducted a systematic literature review based on thematic and network analyses, covering a sample of 191 articles on digital servitization. The findings offer a set of 11 tensions organized into six dimensions: (i) data strategy, (ii) data partnership governance, (iii) data reliability, (iv) data security and privacy, (v) data interoperability, and (vi) data lifecycle. Additionally, we identify seven coping strategies to address these tensions, which we categorized into three approaches: (i) governance, (ii) technology, and (iii) organization. These tensions and their corresponding coping strategies are arranged and presented in a conceptual framework, leading into five propositions. We also provide a research agenda outlining future research opportunities to expand knowledge on the tensions arising from inter-organizational relationships when creating and providing data-driven services. For practitioners, we offer insights into how to manage ecosystem relationships by suggesting strategies to cope with these tensions, and for policy makers we shed light on crucial matters for future data governance policies and laws.

Renewal of Interfirm Collaboration: A Theory of (Mis) Aligned Perception

Renewal of Interfirm Collaboration: A Theory of (Mis) Aligned Perception

The Dynamics of Interfirm Collaboration: Formation, Evolution, and Interdependencies

The Dynamics of Interfirm Collaboration: Formation, Evolution, and Interdependencies

Neither Mergers nor Cartels: Innovation Networks and Competition Law

Abstract Organization theorists and innovation economists have been arguing for the past few decades that the locus of research and development activities has gradually moved away from vertically integrated firms to inter-firm alliances. In industries as diverse as construction and biotechnology, cooperation for innovation has given rise to collaborative forms of industrial organization varying from bilateral alliances to networks. Nonetheless, the EU competition law framework opens up limited space for inter-firm collaborations, cabined by the efficiency test of Article 101(3) TFEU and the requirements of the horizontal block exemption regulations. Building on this misfit, this article makes two contributions. First, a theoretical one, arguing that the law’s cautious approach to inter-firm collaboration is rooted in a binary vision of industrial organization which recognizes only firms and markets as modes of organizing production. Second, an explanatory one, showing how the 2023 Research & Development Block Exemption Regulation falls short of facilitating inter-firm collaborations for innovation and proposing fine-tuning suggestions.

Facilitating Interfirm Collaboration by Using Social Media

ABSTRACT Purpose Using social media (SM) in the workplace is controversial. Managers are concerned about boundary spanners’ heavy use of SM for unproductive activities, while boundary spanners need task-focused SM usage to enhance cooperative intention, share mutual knowledge, and build long-term relations. To clarify the effects of SM usage, the authors draw on task–technology fit (TTF) theory to examine how task-focused SM usage (TSM) and relationship-focused SM usage (RSM) influence the efficacy of interpersonal guanxi in China’s emerging economy. Methodology/approach The authors test the proposed theoretical model by collecting 550 valid questionnaires of survey data from manufacturers in China. Ordinary least squares regression is used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. Findings The results of the statistical analysis show that interpersonal guanxi improves interfirm coordination and exchange performance. Furthermore, TSM usage strengthens the positive impact of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination but weakens the positive effect of interpersonal guanxi on exchange performance, while RSM usage enhances its positive impact on exchange performance but weakens the positive effect of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination. Research implications This study contributes to the literature by developing and testing the TTF-based framework of interpersonal guanxi and SM usage. The finding enriches our knowledge on the roles of interpersonal guanxi in the business-to-business (B2B) context. Practical implications This study offers the guidance for firms using SM in the B2B context. SM usage should be fited with firms’ and boundary spanners’ tasks, considering the complementary and supplementary nature of SM usage. Originality/value/contribution This study tests the different roles of SM usage, i.e., TSM versus RSM, in fostering the efficacy of interpersonal guanxi, providing a meaningful perspective on firms’ knowledge activities. Moreover, by proposing a TTF-based framework of interpersonal guanxi and SM usage, it explores the informational roles of boundary spanners’ SM usage in promoting dyadic relationships.

The interplay between product development failures and alliance portfolio properties in the formation of exploration versus exploitation alliances

We investigate the role of product development failure as an important behavioral driver of explorative (vs. exploitative) search in interfirm collaborations. We also suggest that the effect of product development failure on the level of exploration in subsequent alliances hinges on the properties of the firm’s existing alliance portfolio. We suggest and show that the positive association between a firm’s product development failures and the level of exploration alliances is mitigated when the firm faces a high level of relational embeddedness. We also demonstrate that the positive association is amplified when the firm has a low level of technological diversity in its current alliance portfolio. We test our hypotheses using established firms’ alliances in the biopharmaceutical industry and find evidence that supports our arguments.

Collaboration and social capital in meta-organisations: bonding or bridging?

ABSTRACT How do firms collaborate to achieve their strategic goals within inter-organisational settings? Inter-firm collaboration is a double-edge sword – it helps firms to obtain external resources, but it also increases risks of knowledge spillovers with competitors. Normally, spillover risks are reduced through formal contracting. However, meta-organisations, like standard-setting organisations, lack formal contracts, meaning that firms often rely on social capital to offset transaction costs and opportunism. This paper applies theories of social capital to explain inter-firm collaboration within the meta-organisational environment of 3GPP (Third Generational Partnership Project) – the primary global mobile telecommunications standard-setting organisation. It utilises a stochastic actor-based model and a comprehensive collaboration dataset from the 3G to 4G eras to examine the mechanism of collaboration. We find that firms are more likely to choose partner firms based on the ‘bonding’ view of social capital, rather than the ‘bridging’ view. The paper advances research on collaboration mechanism within meta-organisation, while also contributing to social capital theory in emphasising the importance of the bonding view of social capital under conditions when no formal contracts are available.

Breaking Away From Hectic Daily Media Production: Unleashing Explorative Innovation Through Inter-Firm Collaborations

Beyond the widespread disruption narrative around media innovation, journalism scholarship has put forward valuable remedies to counteract a techno-deterministic perspective by embracing socio-constructivist and socio-technical approaches. Nevertheless, thus far, scholarly attention has primarily been directed towards the newsroom despite the journalism field having undergone significant structural transformations. In this article, we adopt an organisational perspective to journalism innovation and apply it to the emerging locus of inter-firm collaborations in journalism. In fact, while the newsroom has traditionally been considered the dominant location for implementing innovations, an increasing amount of media work currently occurs in decentralised settings. Our study draws upon 20 qualitative interviews with media practitioners and media managers who have been involved as project leaders in inter-firm collaborative projects. These projects have received institutional funding specifically aimed at fostering media innovation. We strive to understand how practitioners conceive of innovation in their overall activity, what obstacles they encounter in their usual routines, and how collaborative practices support them in their innovation trajectory. Our findings indicate that innovation is predominantly perceived as a demanding and complex ongoing practice characterised by adaptation to an evolving environment and hindered by a lack of resources and time. We also find that collaborations offer media practitioners a temporary framework for balancing their efforts to keep up with the demand for daily media production and their aspiration to carry out explorative activities. Lastly, our research reveals that these collaborations provide occasions for knowledge exchange and self-reflection that are frequently absent in non-collaborative settings.

Coopetition for corporate responsibility and sustainability: does it influence firm performance?

PurposeCorporate responsibility and sustainability (CRS) have emerged as an important topic today. At the same time, alliances and coopetition arrangements, as vehicles for inter-firm collaboration have been shown to support firm performance. Still, there has been a lack of research into how coopetition (collaboration with competing firms) in this area may support firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study aims to untangle the relationship between coopetition arrangements including CRS and firm performance. The model permits garnering social performance, which is a key to CRS, and to move beyond the traditional view of the coopetition–firm–economic–performance relationship. This study is based on a survey and primary data from 215 firms in Australia. This study uses multiple indicators for the concepts. Relationships are estimated by multiple regression analyses.FindingsUsing survey data from 215 firms in Australia, the research findings confirm that coopetition in CRS can lead to improved firm performance, both in relation to financial and social performances. However, the association between coopetition in CRS and financial performance loses its significance when social performances is introduced as an additional control variable. Further, stakeholder attributes (i.e., effective power and legitimate stake) moderate the relationship between coopetition in CRS and firm financial performance. However, there was no evidence of moderation for the coopetition in CRS – firm social performance relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to both coopetition and corporate social responsibility research. This study demonstrates that improved firm performance may be achieved through the promotion of CRS initiatives when a coopetitive approach is adopted, particularly where an understanding of stakeholder attributes is also evident. Firms do not need to shoulder corporate social responsibility alone. They need to find well-fitting partners. There are new ways to improve sustainability in terms of nature and human relationships.Practical implicationsFirms do not need to shoulder Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) alone. They need to find well-fitting partners.Originality/valueThis study provides very novel insights by having integrated the literature on coopetition, corporate social responsibility and sustainability resulting in a new conceptual framework that combines coopetition in CRS and performance. The new conceptual framework has both practical and research implications for coopetition in CRS and firm performance.

How Do Heterogeneous Networks Affect a Firm's Innovation Performance? A Research Analysis Based on Clustering and Classification.

Based on authorized patents of China's artificial intelligence industry from 2013 to 2022, this paper constructs an Industry-University-Research institution (IUR) collaboration network and an Inter-Firm (IF) collaboration network and used the entropy weight method to take both the quantity and quality of patents into account to calculate the innovation performance of firms. Through the hierarchical clustering algorithm and classification and regression trees (CART) algorithm, in-depth analysis has been conducted on the intricate non-linear influence mechanisms between multiple variables and a firm's innovation performance. The findings indicate the following: (1) Based on the network centrality (NC), structural hole (SH), collaboration breadth (CB), and collaboration depth (CD) of both IUR and IF collaboration networks, two types of focal firms are identified. (2) For different types of focal firms, the combinations of network characteristics affecting their innovation performance are various. (3) In the IUR collaboration network, focal firms with a wide range of heterogeneous collaborative partners can obtain high innovation performance. However, focal firms in the IF collaboration network can achieve the same aim by maintaining deep collaboration with other focal firms. This paper not only helps firms make scientific decisions for development but also provides valuable suggestions for government policymakers.

Preventing open innovation failures: A managerial framework

Open Innovation (OI) is an increasingly popular approach that companies adopt to remain competitive. However, the challenges and complexities entailed by the OI should not be underestimated. These could lead to OI failures and strong negative repercussions for the company. Despite this, literature on the causes of failure of OI is still in its infancy, and results are scattered and fragmented. In this study we perform a systematic bibliometric review of the literature on the causes of failure of OI, to analyse its evolution and to provide a framework to help managers understand and prevent OI failures. We identify ten categories of causes of OI failure to be included in a seven-components framework. This adopts the perspective of the firm and investigates both internal and external causes of failure. Internal components include strategy, business organization, knowledge and Intellectual Property (IP) management, management, and resources. External components discuss the causes of failure related to inter-firm collaboration and the influence of environmental factors. Finally, by leveraging the results of the review activity, we provide some interesting suggestions for future research.

Inter-Firm Collaboration and Export Performance: A Mediation Analysis

This study aims to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to collaborate to enhance export rate. It investigates the influence of inter-firm collaboration on industry export performance and how this relationship is mediated by firm export performance in SMEs of Pakistan. Data was gathered using a quantitative technique based on questionnaires distributed among 491 owners and employees of the SMEs involved in exports. Data were analyzed using AMOS to determine the relationship among variables; firm export performance, inter-firm collaboration and industry export performance. Mediation analysis was tested using Baron and Kenny’s procedure. Results revealed that inter-firm collaboration is an important factor in enhancing industry export performance and this relationship is significantly mediated by firm export performance. Industry export performance is an essential element for SMEs survival and growth. The study contributes theoretically and empirically by analyzing the role of interfirm collaboration in economic development and provides important implications for owners, managers, policymakers of SMEs, and export-related government agencies on improving cooperation.

Model-Selection Inference for Causal Impact of Clusters and Collaboration on MSMEs in India.

Do firms benefit more from agglomeration-based spillovers than the technical know-how obtained through inter-firm collaboration? Quantifying the relative value of the industrial policy of cluster development vis-à-vis firm's internal decision of collaboration can be valuable for policy-makers and entrepreneurs. I observe the universe of Indian MSMEs inside an industrial cluster (Treatment Group 1), those in collaboration for technical know-how (Treatment Group 2) and those outside clusters with no collaboration (Control Group). Conventional econometric methods to identify the treatment effects would suffer from selection bias and misspecification of the model. I use two data-driven, model-selection methods, developed by (Belloni, A., Chernozhukov, V., and Hansen, C. (2013). Inference on treatment e ects after selection among high-dimensional controls. Review of Economic Studies, 81(2):608 650.) and (Chernozhukov, V., Hansen, C., and Spindler, M. (2015). Post selection and post regulariza- tion inference in linear models with many controls and instruments. American Economic Review, 105(5):486 490.), to estimate the causal impact of the treatments on GVA of firms. The results suggest that ATE of cluster and collaboration is nearly equal at 30%. I conclude by offering policy implications.

The impact of firm affiliation on accountants’ error reporting decisions

Recent regulatory and professional developments have increased the frequency with which public accountants interact with professionals from other accounting firms. Archival findings in accounting indicate that when the same firm provides both audit and non-audit tax services, audit quality is better than when different firms provide these services, which is attributed to differential communication of audit knowledge, or a “knowledge spillover” effect that occurs between professionals from the same firm. However, empirical research that examines how information is communicated across engagement teams is limited. Using social identity theory, we predict that the communication decisions of accounting professionals could be biased when multiple firms perform accounting services and that this has potential negative implications for audit quality. We conduct an experiment in settings where professional services are split across different accounting engagement teams and find that both tax and audit professionals are more likely to disclose information about possible financial statement errors to auditors from their own firm compared to those from a rival firm. We also find that tax professionals are more willing to communicate errors to a client when another firm is responsible for the error compared to their own firm, but we do not observe this effect for auditors. We believe that these results have important implications for audit quality and provide new insights into the effects of inter-firm collaboration of accountant knowledge sharing.

What are the strategies to manage megaproject supply chains? A systematic literature review and research agenda

This systematic literature review explores strategies to manage complex supply chains in megaprojects, connecting project management and operations management literatures. A total of 2,106 titles and abstracts were analyzed and 94 papers were fully reviewed, identifying six categories of strategies: inter-firm collaboration and coordination, governance, procurement, projects as networks, production and logistics, and risk management. We present the multi-level Megaproject Supply Chain (MSC) framework, unpacking the complex inter-organizational structure of megaprojects in five levels and units of analysis to guide future research. The MSC framework identifies the micro, meso and macro levels of megaprojects and introduces two additional hybrid levels to identify inter-organizational relationships: the meso‑micro and meso‑macro. We suggest four avenues to advance supply chain management in megaprojects through multi-level explorations: (i) Supply Chain Structure: Permanent vs Temporary, (ii) Strategic Procurement and Commercial, (iii) Supply Chain Design: Standardization vs Customization, (iv) Supply Chain Governance: Collaboration and Coordination.

Building digital servitization ecosystems: An analysis of inter-firm collaboration types and social exchange mechanisms among actors

The servitization literature has evidenced that the development and provision of Smart Product-Service Systems usually happen through collaborative ecosystems, but little is known about the different arrangements that ecosystem's actors can follow to provide digital solutions. We aim to define collaborative configurations of ecosystem actors in digital servitization based on their value creation and capture and their social base of collaboration. We propose four configurations of inter-firm collaboration, based on the level of joint value creation activities and value capture interdependence among the actors: expanded business, enhanced business, platform business and symbiotic business. We analyze how these different collaboration types operate based on a multi-case study approach using the Social Exchange Theory (SET) to examine actors' interactions. We focus on four elements of SET: trust, commitment, reciprocity, and power. We found that trust, commitment and reciprocity are related to value creation and capture dynamics, while power is mostly affected by other external factors. These four elements allow to define the operationalization of the four types of inter-firm collaboration in digital servitization ecosystem. We contribute to the theory showing how service and digital suppliers interact with the servitized product firm in the ecosystem. Managers can learn the elements involved in different business models and collaboration arrangements for the provision of servitized digital solutions aiming to better decide the servitization strategy they want to follow.

Recent trends in nanocomposite packaging films utilising waste generated biopolymers: Industrial symbiosis and its implication in sustainability.

Uncontrolled waste generation and management difficulties are causing chaos in the ecosystem. Although it is vital to ease environmental pressures, right now there is no such practical strategy available for the treatment or utilisation of waste material. Because the Earth's resources are limited, a long-term, sustainable, and sensible solution is necessary. Currently waste material has drawn a lot of attention as a renewable resource. Utilisation of residual biomass leftovers appears as a green and sustainable approach to lessen the waste burden on Earth while meeting the demand for bio-based goods. Several biopolymers are available from renewable waste sources that have the potential to be used in a variety of industries for a wide range of applications. Natural and synthetic biopolymers have significant advantages over petroleum-based polymers in terms of cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and user-friendliness. Using waste as a raw material through industrial symbiosis should be taken into account as one of the strategies to achieve more economic and environmental value through inter-firm collaboration on the path to a near-zero waste society. This review extensively explores the different biopolymers which can be extracted from several waste material sources and that further have potential applications in food packaging industries to enhance the shelf life of perishables. This review-based study also provides key insights into the different strategies and techniques that have been developed recently to extract biopolymers from different waste byproducts and their feasibility in practical applications for the food packaging business.

A Delphi study examining risk and uncertainty management in circular supply chains

Circular supply chains (CSCs) have attracted increasing attention in the supply chain management literature due to their role in increasing the circularity of materials, components, and products. However, surprisingly little attention has been paid to risk and uncertainty management in CSCs, with this aspect experiencing limited theoretical development thus far. Drawing on contingency theory, this paper aims to identify the risks and uncertainties that impede the implementation of CSCs and related management strategies and thus help practitioners mitigate them. A three-round Delphi study was conducted with a panel of industry, governmental, nongovernmental, and academic actors from 18 countries across five continents to analyze their views regarding risk and uncertainty management in CSCs. The results reveal critical risks and uncertainties at the organizational, supply chain, and external levels, including uncertain financial costs; a lack of knowledge and expertise; operational and technological risks; uncertain quality, availability, and delivery of secondary resources; market competition with linear-oriented companies and supply chains; a lack of adequate regulatory frameworks and indicators; and unstable prices for virgin and secondary resources. In effect, appropriate countermeasures are necessary to manage risks and uncertainties, which are comprised of reducing and coping strategies. Reducing strategies consist of inter-firm collaboration and circular product design, and coping strategies consist of information sharing, flexibility, and financial risk management. Moreover, the analysis revealed related contingency factors affecting CSCs, such as regulatory requirements. This paper develops a theoretical framework and a set of propositions regarding contingency factors and risk and uncertainty management in CSCs, helping theorists and practitioners to comprehend the challenges of circular economy implementation.

DOES INNOVATION EXPERIENCE AFFECT ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE FROM INTER-FIRM COLLABORATION AND R&D INVESTMENTS?

Purpose: Previous research shows that inter-firm collaboration and R&D investments have positive effects on enterprises’ product innovation performance. This study aims to assess if the performance effects are moderated by enterprises’ innovation experience. i.e., does the experience increase or decrease the innovation performance from inter-firm collaboration and R&D investments? Methods: Norwegian enterprise panel regressions between 2004 and 2016 were done on data provided by Statistics Norway. Results and implications: Consistent with the previous research, inter-firm collaboration increases enterprises’ product innovation performance. Also, R&D investments increase product innovation performance but at an exponentially decreasing rate that eventually turns negative. A novel contribution is that the results are consistent, independent of innovation experience. It implies that inexperienced and experienced enterprises have an equal absorptive capacity to innovate from inter-firm collaboration and R&D investments. Independent of innovation experience, enterprise revenues furthermore increase from new products as a function of R&D investments at an exponentially increasing rate.