"Messy" research, methodological predispositions, and theory development in international joint ventures

Article Abstract:

Dramatic advances have recently marked the study of international joint ventures (IJVs). The progress has been mixed, however. Although several theoretical dimensions have been emphasized in the literature, researchers have not addressed certain crucial questions at the heart of the IJV relationship. Consequently, individually useful IJV studies have not coalesced into a collectively coherent body of work with an underlying theoretical structure. This weakness in theory development, I argue, may stem from the convergence of "hard" methodological approaches with "soft" behavioral variables. In proposing and justifying a research program toward deeper understanding of voluntary interfirm cooperation, I offer a theoretical framework for IJVs, develop a typology of theory-development approaches, and apply this framework and typology to demonstrate how a near-term shift in foci can accelerate rigorous IJV theory development. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

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Knowledge, bargaining power, and the instability of international joint ventures

Article Abstract:

Although the high rate of instability of international joint ventures (IJVs) has been well documented, the underlying reasons for the instability need clarification. In this article, we develop a theoretical framework for instability of IJVs grounded in a bargaining power and dependence perspective. Instability is defined as a major change in partner relationship status that is unplanned and premature from one or both partners' perspectives. The core argument is that the instability of IJVs is associated with shifts in partner bargaining power. Shifts in the balance of bargaining power occur when partners of an IJV acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to eliminate a partner dependency and make the IJV bargain obsolete. Our preliminary focus is on the acquisition of local knowledge by the foreign partner and the impact that this acquisition of knowledge has on the stability of the IJV. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Negotiation, Negotiations, Knowledge, Theory of, Epistemology

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Orchestrating innovation networks

Article Abstract:

Studies reveal that innovation networks can often be considered as loosely coupled systems of autonomous firms. The view of network members as inert entities that merely respond to inducements and constraints arising from their network ties is rejected and the essential player-structure duality present in networks is embraced.

Management dynamics, Venture Analysis, Analysis, Management, Computer networks, Business enterprises, Company business management, Information networks, Business networks (Social groups)

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