How Do Weaker Firms Leverage Asymmetric IORs? Distinguishing Asset Specificity-based Dependence From Need-based Dependence

• Main Authors: Tai, Shihchin, 戴士欽
• Other Authors: Lin, Julia
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/24157573712080693404

博士 === 義守大學 === 管理學院管理碩博士班 === 100 === Prior research on performance consequences of dependence has showed ambiguous empirical evidence, giving rise to two puzzles that firms under different conditions of dependence could be concerned about various kinds of performance, and unobserved moderator variables might obscure the effects of dependence on financial performance. For solving these puzzles, this study makes the distinction between asset specificity-based dependence and need-based dependence by tracing to theoretical background of dependence. Using survey and secondary data from 127 contract manufacturers in Taiwan, this study examines the effects of two aspects of dependence on its corresponding organizational performance. We further explore whether contractual governance and alliance management capability set the boundary conditions of the relationship between dependence and organizational performance, based on a dual governance perspective. Our results indicate that the concern of weaker firms is relationship quality rather than financial performance under the conditions of AS-based dependence and that learning effectiveness is more important than financial performance under the conditions of need-based dependence. Moreover, alliance management capability plays an important role in the relationship between need-based dependence and learning effectiveness. Extending resource dependence theory, this study provides a close understanding of how weaker firms leverage asymmetric IORs and performance implications of managing dependence.