Title: A multidimensional typology of automaker-supplier relationships: the knowledge sharing dilemma

Authors: Tugba Gurcaylilar-Yenidogan

Addresses: The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Business Administration, Izmir University, Gursel Aksel Bulvari, No. 14 35350, Uckuyular, Izmir, Turkey

Abstract: This study aims to examine the changing nature of automaker-supplier relationships with special emphasis on strategic knowledge sharing. Nowadays, production increasingly becomes a world-wide distributed process. The spread of global production network allows leading global manufacturers to integrate knowledge of suppliers from both original and local source. The sharing of knowledge throughout the product development process increases the risk of strategic knowledge loss. Based on the knowledge sharing and knowledge protection dilemma this study focuses on classifying automaker-supplier relationships in the Turkish automotive industry. The findings of this study reveal the three clusters of relationships differing in the dimensions of environmental dynamism, knowledge sharing and opportunism. Towards more collaborative relationships the risk of opportunism mitigates by co-creating the knowledge base for developing innovative products and performing joint action through coordination and cooperation across organisational boundaries generates relational rents between network partners.

Keywords: knowledge sharing; opportunism; environmental dynamism; joint action; buyer-supplier relationships; automotive manufacturing; automobile industry; automotive suppliers; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2014.058363

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2014 Vol.14 No.1, pp.1 - 24

Published online: 17 May 2014 *

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