Title: Relational resources and capabilities in acquisitions, joint ventures and alliances in the automotive industry

Authors: Mário Sacomano Neto; Eliciane Maria Da Silva; Andrea Lago Da Silva; Charles Kirschbaum

Addresses: Federal University of São Carlos, UFSCar, Brazil ' Methodist University of Piracicaba, UNIMEP, Brazil ' Federal University of São Carlos, UFSCar, Brazil ' Insper, Brazil

Abstract: This article analyses the resources, capabilities and advantages of relational processes of acquisitions, joint ventures, alliances and partnerships in the automotive sector based on an analysis of five dyad case studies. These strategies imply significant structural and relational changes constrained by a systemic disintegration of production and new governance structures such as inter-firm partnering and networking. Data were collected using interviews, participant observation, documents and specialised publications and were evaluated based on the content analysis technique. The results of the survey indicate that these mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures: 1) have enabled automakers and supplier growth through the process of internationalisation; 2) are driven by different objectives, but mainly by geographical locations and technological, managerial, institutional and market resource complementarities; 3) reveal a significant exchange of resources and capabilities acquired through these relationships at intra- and/or inter-organisational levels in the internationalisation process.

Keywords: relational resources; capabilities; strategic alliances; mergers and acquisitions; M&A; joint ventures; automotive alliances; automotive networks; international business; entry models; emergent countries; automobile industry; dyad case studies; structural changes; relational changes; governance structures; inter-firm partnering; networking; automakers; supplier growth; internationalisation; geographical location.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2017.082278

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2017 Vol.17 No.1, pp.72 - 95

Received: 20 May 2016
Accepted: 26 Sep 2016
Published online: 16 Feb 2017 *

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