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Unveiling the temporally contingent role of codification in alliance success
Author(s) -
Heimeriks Koen H.,
Bingham Christopher B.,
Laamanen Tomi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
strategic management journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 11.035
H-Index - 286
eISSN - 1097-0266
pISSN - 0143-2095
DOI - 10.1002/smj.2224
Subject(s) - alliance , flexibility (engineering) , business , sample (material) , marketing , selection (genetic algorithm) , strategic alliance , knowledge management , industrial organization , economics , management , computer science , political science , artificial intelligence , chemistry , chromatography , law
While prior research highlights the importance of codifying alliance experience to achieve alliance success, it is unclear whether codification is equally useful in the different phases of an alliance. Based on a sample of 192 technology firms that report on over 3,400 strategic alliances, we find that in the partner selection and termination phases, reliance on codified knowledge is useful. However, in the partner management phase, reliance on codified knowledge is less beneficial and can be even negatively related to performance. Our findings have implications for the tension between flexibility and efficiency and the relationship between structure and performance . Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.