Abstract: Research on how social capital influences knowledge transfer and subsequent organizational outcomes is burgeoning, and yet our understanding of how they relate remains unclear. Although conceptual reviews have emerged, no study has explicitly attempted to examine the mediating role of knowledge transfer. In this paper, we develop moderated mediation model on social capital, knowledge transfer and outcomes. We distinguish between structural and relational capital, and argue that knowledge transfer is a necessary step in converting benefits of social capital into organizational outcomes. We also demonstrate how boundary conditions and industry type moderate the relationships. By consolidating existing research, our study not only reveals new insights into how social capital influences organizational knowledge transfer and outcomes, but also provides meaningful directions for future research.

Abstract: External relationships have taken on greater complexity as firms have become more reliant on knowledge transfer from outside sources (Grant, 1996; Spender, 1996; Stuart, 2000). Coordination of knowledge transfer is difficult; relationships are vulnerable to opportunism (Adler, 2001). These issues are especially important in transitional economies as firms struggle to upgrade capabilities to deal with new international competitors. We use survey data from China to examine roles played by three coordinating mechanisms in knowledge transfer to SME's: guanxi, formal contracting, and informal business connections. We find that contract and guanxi act as substitutes, while business connections have an independent effect. The study expands prior work on coordination of inter-firm relationships by Adler (2001), Poppo and Zenger (2002), and Peng and Luo (2000).

Abstract: In this paper we rely on resource- and competence-based perspectives and global strategic network theory to analyze the effects of international R&D alliances on the performance of high-tech start-ups (NTBFs). We claim that these effects depend on the selection of suitable partners. Alliances involving many industrial partners located in countries close to world’s knowledge sources are expected to provide the greatest benefits. In the empirical section we consider EU funded international R&D alliances established by a large sample of Italian NTBFs that are observed over a 10 year period. We measure firm performance through total factor productivity. The results (obtained resorting to system GMM estimates) show that NTBFs benefit from international R&D alliances, but the extent of these benefits closely depend on partner choice.

Abstract: In contrast to the common conception that performance metrics always fosters superior alliance performance, this study’s aim is to contribute to an understanding about the effective use of performance metrics by highlighting the conditions under which performance metrics fosters alliance performance. That is, we hypothesize that higher levels of alliance performance depend on the type of performance metric applied (financial, operational, or relational oriented), the extent to which the performance metric is formalized, and alliance maturity (building and maturity stages). Preliminary results indicate that that the impact of performance metrics is conditional to the type of performance metrics applied, the degree to which it is formalized, and the alliance development stage. We contribute to the alliance literature by demonstrating that a distinction between outcome and behavioral metrics is necessary to advance theory development.