Authors: Alexandre LAVISSIERE; Frédéric MIRANDA
IMP research traditionally considers that companies evolve through networking over time (Ford, 1980: Håkansson & Ford, 2002). Companies strategize in a network context and need to consider their network links and the network outcomes of their actions. Overtime, actions happening in a network, influence the interaction process in the whole network (Ford et al., 2010: Ritter et al. 2004). Recent works investigated the interactive and network strategizing phenomenon. They study the involvement of counterparts in deliberate strategizing initiatives (Harrison et al. 2010). Such an approach led to five different ways of involving counterparts in strategic initiatives: however further research is required to explore the triggers to each of these strategizing methods as well as the nature of the network and the links between actors that could enable the emergence of one of these five methods. This paper aims at extending the model of these five methods of involving counterparts in strategic initiatives developed by Harrison et al. (2010) in order to show when and how the focal company chooses to use the different methods over time. The methodology relies on a set of three comparative case studies in the same air transport industry. The three cases take place at different stages of the maturing process of the industry (Burghouwt and Hakfoort, 2001: Ashbahs, 2008) and each one focuses on one of the three major actors of the air transport industry (Starkie, 2002). The three comparative case studies enable us to detail the five categories and extend the original model to a longitudinal model with a pattern showing the strengthening relationship between the focal company and its counterparts. At each step, the focal company accepts more influence on the part of its counterparts, rather than influencing them. The longitudinal model shows also that the stronger the relationships between the focal company and its major counterparts, the earlier the strategizing initiative is found in the pattern, while the same strengthening relationship that is being built creates stronger relationships leading to inertia over time.
Journal: n.a. (n.a. – n.a.)
Web Address: n.a.
Publish Year: 2016
Conference: Poznan, Poland (2016)