Title: Leveraging knowledge in buyer-supplier alliances: a theoretical integration

Authors: Senthil K. Muthusamy, Daesik Hur, Ramaraj Palanisamy

Addresses: Department of Management, College of Business Administration, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, USA. ' Yonsei School of Business, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Korea. ' Department of Information Systems, The Gerald Schwartz School of Business and Information Systems, St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada

Abstract: Global competition, ever-demanding customer expectations, and rapid technological changes are forcing firms to restructure the scope of operations and then outsource non-core processes to outside suppliers. Such organisational efforts have resulted in increased dependence on supplier firms to sustain competitive advantage. This paper provides a theoretical model to understand the process of successful learning and knowledge transfer in buyer-supplier alliances. The proposed model uses a social exchange framework for effective knowledge exchange and learning. Reciprocal commitment, interorganisational trust, power sharing, and socialisation are identified as essential for collaborative behaviour for successful learning and knowledge transfer between alliance partners. Specific testable propositions are presented.

Keywords: buyer-supplier relationships; strategic alliances; learning; knowledge transfer; social exchange; reciprocal commitment; inter-organisational trust; power sharing; socialisation; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2008.021217

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2008 Vol.9 No.6, pp.600 - 616

Published online: 13 Nov 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article