Managing Collaborative Synergy in the Crane Industry

• Main Author: Keith Ng Y. N. (Ng, K.) Ph.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociology Press 2005-06-01
• Series: Grounded Theory Review: An International Journal
• Subjects: crane industry; Principle-Distributor Collaboration; grounded theory
• Online Access: http://groundedtheoryreview.com/2005/06/21/1502/

This study explores the key factors vital to Principal-DistributorCollaboration (PDC) in the context of the crane industry in Singapore,Malaysia and Indonesia. It explains the social processes that Principals use to address differing interests throughout the course of the PDC.Applying Glaser’s (1978, 1992, 1998, 2001) emergent approach togrounded theory, 150 interviews were conducted with 50 participantsfrom these countries. The main professional concern of participantsthroughout the course of the PDC was the need to achieve corporateobjectives, within a certain time frame, whilst also having to rely on the cooperation of key managers from the partnering firm. Key decision makers continuously resolve their professional concern through the basic social process of Managing Collaborative Synergy (MCS). The theory of MCS suggests that the way in which Principal firms manage the PDC is by giving attention to the three interdependent dimensions of Competitiveness Initiating, Confidence Building and Conformance Setting.