Are relational ties always good for knowledge acquisition? Buyer-supplier exchanges in China

Session D - 1621: (Paper Session) – (OMT) Network, Knowledge and Information ExchangeTheme: The Informal EconomyClose relational ties between manufacturers and their suppliers serve as an important strategic resource for value creation and realization. However, conflicting views persist regarding whether relational ties are beneficial for knowledge acquisition in supply chain relationships. Building on a relational view, this study proposes that relational ties have a nonlinear effect on interfirm knowledge acquisition and that this nonlinear relationship is conditional on contract specificity and competitive intensity. Results from a sample of 392 manufacturer¨Csupplier exchanges in China demonstrate that relational ties have an inverted U-shaped relationship with knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, contract specificity and competitive intensity strengthen the positive effect of relational ties on knowledge acquisition.link_to_subscribed_fulltex