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When Cospecialization Leads to Rigidity: Path Dependence in Successful Strategic Networks

  • Cospecialization and Strategic Networks
  • Published:
Schmalenbach Business Review Aims and scope

Abstract

By taking advantage of interorganizational complementarity effects (cospecialization), firms utilize strategic networks to gain relational advantages. Nonetheless, in the long run, firms are sometimes found to be unable to adapt their interorganizational arrangements because of path dependencies. We investigate different effects of cospecialization with a qualitative case study of a strategic network in the software industry. Thereby, we are able to specify how cospecialization contributes to the success of a strategic network. Further, by analyzing multiple data sources, we identify boundedness and asynchronicity as two specific pitfalls for change initiatives in strategic networks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business & Economics, Management Department, Freie Universität Berlin, Boltzmannstr. 20, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Thomas Schmidt

  2. Faculty of Business Studies and Economics, Chair of Strategic Management, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Gottlieb-Daimler-Str. 42 / 140, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Timo Braun

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  1. Thomas Schmidt
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Correspondence to Thomas Schmidt.

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The research reported in this paper was conducted between 2011 and 2014 within the doctoral program “Research on Organizational Paths” (www.pfadkolleg.de). We are grateful to the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the funding. We would also like to thank the reviewers and participants at the WK ORG conference in 2014, the AOM annual meeting 2014, the BAM annual meeting 2013 and the EGOS workshop 2013 for their valuable feedback on previous versions of this research paper.

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Schmidt, T., Braun, T. When Cospecialization Leads to Rigidity: Path Dependence in Successful Strategic Networks. Schmalenbach Bus Rev 67, 489–515 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03396930

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