Work

Do bridging ties complement strong ties? An empirical examination of alliance ambidexterity

Year: 2007

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines the underexplored tensions and complementarities between bridging ties and strong ties in innovation‐seeking alliances. Bridging ties span structural holes to provide innovation potential but lack integration capacity, and strong ties provide integration capacity but lack innovation potential. We theoretically develop the idea that—notwithstanding their tensions—strong ties complement bridging ties in enhancing alliance ambidexterity at the project level. While bridging ties provide access to diverse, structural hole‐spanning perspectives and capabilities, strong ties help integrate them to realize an innovation. We also propose that their effects and complementarities influence alliance ambidexterity because they facilitate knowledge integration at the project level. Tests using data on 42 innovation‐seeking project alliances involving a major American services conglomerate and its alliance partners support the majority of the proposed ideas. Implications for interfirm network configuration, strategic alliances, and the broader strategy literature are also discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Source: Strategic Management Journal

DOI: 10.1002/smj.666

Author: Amrit Tiwana

Institution: Iowa State University

Language: English

Topic: Innovation and Knowledge Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: green

Funder: Iowa State University