Publications
Publications
- March 2000
- Strategic Management Journal
The Duality of Collaboration: Inducements and Opportunities in the Formation of Interfirm Linkages
By: Gautam Ahuja
Abstract
I argue that the linkage-formation propensity of firms is explained by simultaneously examining both inducement and opportunity factors. Drawing upon resource-based and social network theory literatures I identify three forms of accumulated capital—technical, commercial, and social—that can affect a firm's inducements and opportunities to form linkages. Firms possessing these capital stocks enjoy advantages in linkages formation. However, firms lacking these accumulated resources can still form linkages if they generate a radical technological breakthrough. Thus, I identify paths to linkage formation for leading as well as peripheral firms. I test these arguments with longitudinal data on technical collaborative linkages in the global chemicals industry.
Keywords
Collaboration; Innovation; Networks; Strategy; Alliances; Social and Collaborative Networks; Innovation and Invention; Chemical Industry
Citation
Ahuja, Gautam. "The Duality of Collaboration: Inducements and Opportunities in the Formation of Interfirm Linkages." Special Issue on Strategic Networks edited by Ranjay Gulati, Nitin Nohria, Akbar Zaheer. Strategic Management Journal 21, no. 3 (March 2000): 317–343.