Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Trans-specialization understanding in international technology alliances: The influence of cultural distance

Lew, Y.K., Sinkovics, R.R., Yamin, M., Khan, Zaheer (2016) Trans-specialization understanding in international technology alliances: The influence of cultural distance. Journal of International Business Studies, 47 (5). pp. 577-594. ISSN 0047-2506. (doi:10.1057/jibs.2016.10) (KAR id:59830)

Abstract

In the information age, the firm's performance hinges on combining partners' specialist knowledge to achieve value co-creation. Combining knowledge from different specialties could be a costly process in the international technology alliances (ITAs) context. We argue that the combination of different specializations requires the development of "trans-specialization understanding" (TSU) instead of the internalization of partners' specialist knowledge. This article examines the extent to which inter-firm governance in ITAs shapes TSU, and whether the development of TSU is endangered by cultural distance. We hypothesize that relational governance, product modularity, and cultural distance influence TSU development, which in turn influences firm performance. We collected data from 110 non-equity ITAs between software and hardware firms participating in the mobile device sector. We analyzed the data using partial least squares path modeling. Our findings suggest that TSU largely depends on product modularity and relational governance in alliances. However, while cultural distance negatively moderates the path from relational governance to TSU, it has no effect on the relationship between product modularity and TSU. Based on this, we conclude that product modularity can substitute for relational governance when strong relational norms are not well-developed in international alliances. Thus cultural distance does not invariably amount to a liability in ITAs.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1057/jibs.2016.10
Uncontrolled keywords: cultural distance, international technology alliance, product modularity, relational governance, trans-specialization understanding
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business
Depositing User: Zaheer Khan
Date Deposited: 11 Jan 2017 10:59 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 04:36 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/59830 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.