Ricarda B. Bouncken

Coopetition: Performance Implications And Management Antecedents

This study contributes to the better understanding of coopetition. First, we research the performance of coopetition and its management antecedents. Second, we study the relational context by analyzing different mixtures of trust and dependency. Our results of 469 firms indicate that (a) coopetition requires different facets of an alliance-management system depending on the mix of trust and dependency, and (b) most surprisingly, a high trust/high dependency environment fosters the relationship of coopetition and performance outcomes the most. We contribute to the understanding of coopetition as a strategy associated with different mixes of trust and dependency.

Innovation by Operating Practices in Project Alliances – When Size Matters

Project alliances offer firms an opportunity to increase innovation performance through the flexible combination of specialized competencies across firms. Inspired by internal project management I classify two metrics of project alliances: formal and emergent operating practices. This study of 166 project alliances analyses the innovation performance impact of those practices. I find that emergent operating practices improve planned and serendipitous innovation regardless of a firms size. After a classification of two groups, small and large firms, I find that firm size moderates the effect of formal operating practices. Results show that small firms can improve their innovation performance by formal operating practices. Instead, large firms will face performance reductions on planned innovation when implementing formal operating practices.

Achieving Competitiveness Through Knowledge Management

SUMMARY Effective knowledge management contributes in establishing competitive advantages over competitors in the hospitality and tourism industry. Reuse of already proven knowledge and readiness of knowledge touse are the major benefits of knowledge management. This paper introduces views of editors about knowledge management and discusses its possible applications, in addition to the papers included in this volume.

Introduction to coopetition and innovation: contemporary topics and future research opportunities

Coopetition - collaboration between competing firms - has become a prominent research stream in management literature. In particular, research has shown that coopetition can facilitate innovation among firms, networks, and ecosystems. However, coopetition also involves challenges and tensions, and research on its role in innovation is constantly bringing up new insights, issues, and research opportunities. To this end, this introductory article identifies and elaborates four major discourses in the intersection of coopetition and innovation literatures, and also positions the articles in this special issue within these discourses. We also discuss promising future research opportunities in the domain of coopetition and innovation.

Coopetition in new product development alliances : advantages and tensions for incremental and radical innovation

Coopetition (collaboration between competitors) can facilitate product innovation, but there is still debate about how it is suited to radical or incremental innovation. This paper argues that the early and later phases of coopetitive new product development (NPD) pose different benefits and risks for the innovation types. Building on the tensions approach to value creation and appropriation, we develop a series of hypotheses on the role of coopetition in NPD alliances and focal firms innovation output. The hypotheses are tested on a quantitative data set of 1049 NPD alliances in the German medical and machinery sectors. The results show that, while coopetition is advantageous for incremental innovation in both pre‐launch and launch phases, radical innovation benefits from coopetition in the launch phase only.

National and cultural diversity in transnational innovation teams

Global firms promote innovation success by using transnational innovation teams (TNIT). TNIT members have diverse cultural backgrounds. Their rich knowledge base triggers creativity and the integration of profound international market knowledge into global new product development. Yet, the high risks of misunderstanding and conflicts in TNIT can impede success. We research TNIT processes and their faultlines based on a two-year longitudinal case study. The model developed from our qualitative data gives firms guidance in finding a successful team composition, understanding conflict laps and achieving learning laps in TNIT.

How Does Cultural Diversity in Global Innovation Teams Affect the Innovation Process

Abstract: International firms require the use of global innovation teams to achieve sustained innovation performance. This study researches how cultural diversity effects team and innovation performance. Our longitudinal qualitative study reveals effects of cultural value and of communication style differences within global innovation teams. From 105 interviews in five innovation teams at three different points in time, at three stages of the innovation process, we develop a model for diversity and time effects in global innovation teams. Specifically, we find that diversity in context, time, and power distance strongly influences the performance of global teams. Cultural diversity most strongly affects the feasibility stage.

MULTI-CULTURAL TEAMS AS SOURCES FOR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION: THE ROLE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON TEAM PERFORMANCE

Multi-cultural teams are seen as a wellspring of creativity and innovativeness. Yet, we still miss an in-depth study of their potential and challenges during the innovation process in firms. This is a serious omission as many international firms are in need of improving their global innovation position by the inclusion of insights from team members of different nationalities with knowledge about markets and culture. To derive first insights, we conducted a longitudinal qualitative study in a large global company with 70 personal interviews in five innovation teams over a period of two years. These data, based on semi-structured interviews, provide us with rich information about effects of cultural diversity in teams in the innovation process. Data were analysed through a thematic network analysis and two coders inductively forming categories. Results indicate that cross-cultural teams have a high potential of creativity, but are confronted with difficulties arising from different working- and communication styles which have to be proactively managed from the beginning. While progressing, teams learn to cope with this diversity related to some more surface-level cultural dimensions and members even align. Yet, diversity of power distance induces conflicts that deeply impact the innovation process. Based on these findings, we develop a set of propositions, which lead into a conceptual model on the effects of multi-cultural team work on creativity and innovation. Finally, we discuss further implications for research and practice.

Machtumkehr in Projektnetzwerken der Computer- und Videospielindustrie

Projektnetzwerke in der Computer- und Videospielindustrie basieren auf fortlaufenden Bewertungsprozessen von Handlungen und einer Neugestaltung - konfiguriert vor dem Hintergrund von Strukturen, die in Form von Praktiken und Erinnerungsspuren vorliegen. Dabei ist die Zusammenarbeit von einem teilweise komplizierten Zusammenspiel verschiedener Machtdifferenzen gekennzeichnet. Die Hauptakteure a) Developer (Entwicklungsstudios) und b) Publisher (Verleger) agieren in wechselseitigen Prozessen des Machtaufbaus, die von Kooperation und Konkurrenz gepragt sind. Unsere Experteninterviews zeigen, dass Publisher bei Entwicklung, Produktion und Vermarktung, insbesondere bei Erstspielen, uber eine Machtdifferenz zu ihren Gunsten verfugen. Netzwerkinterne (Uberschreitung von kritischen Ereignissen und Schwellenwerten) und -externe Anlasse konnen Veranderungen anstosen, die Trajektorien (Verlagerung von Bedeutungen von Ressourcen, Absicherung von Rechten, Risikovermeidungsstrategie) begrunden, die zu einer Machtverschiebung oder Machtumkehr fuhren. Beide Wirkungen sind meist nur temporar; bei einer Machtumkehr mussen immer verschiedene Trajektorien zusammenspielen. Fur die weitere Forschung erscheinen insbesondere die Rolle von Vertrauen und das Zusammenspiel aus Macht und Vertrauen interessant.

Standardisation vs. adaption: a conjoint experiment on the influence of psychic, cultural and geographical distance on international marketing mix decisions

This paper delivers new insights into how psychic, cultural and geographical distance influence international marketing mix decisions on the basis of a choice-based conjoint analysis with 96 managers from Switzerland and Liechtenstein. In this experiment, the managers had to decide whether the four Ps of the marketing mix have to be adapted or standardised for international markets (neighbouring country/European country/non-European country). Overall we found that psychic, cultural and geographical distance have a significant moderating effect on the degree of marketing mix adaptation: the larger the distance towards a market, the more inclined the managers are to make a decision that involves a larger degree of adaptation of the four Ps towards the simulated markets. The marketing mix elements product and promotion tend mostly to be adapted when cultural distance increases, while the elements price and distribution are more adapted when psychic distance is high.