Gaining relational competitive advantages: a conceptual framework on rent generation and appropriation. (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Yimei; Zhang, Si; Li, Jizhen; Sørensen, Olav Jull
• Is Part Of: European journal of international management. Volume 9:Number 5(2015)
• Page Start: 566
• Page End: 592
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: relational competitive advantage -- strategic technological partnerships -- international management -- strategic alliances -- relational rent generation -- relational rent appropriation -- innovation management -- China -- coordination modes; Management -- Periodicals; Organizational behavior -- Periodicals; International business enterprises -- Management -- Periodicals; Globalization -- Periodicals; 658.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-6757

Abstract

Establishing Strategic Technological Partnerships (STPs) with foreign partners is an increasingly studied topic within the innovation management literature. Partnering firms can jointly create sources of relational competitive advantage. Chinese firms often lack Research and Development (R&D) capabilities but are increasingly becoming preferred technological partners for transnational corporations. We investigate an STP between a Scandinavian and a Chinese firm and try to explore how to gain relational competitive advantage by focusing on its two essential stages: relational rent generation and appropriation. Based on an exploratory case study, we develop a conceptual framework that consists of process, organisational alliance factors and coordination modes that we propose lead to relational competitive advantage.