The process of buyer-supplier collaboration to innovation: a study of Brazil-China electronics industry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/1983465939871Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to study the process of collaboration for innovation in a Brazilian electronics company with its Chinese suppliers, specifically in the bonds generated for the development of new products.
Methodology: Firstly, it brings the theoretical ground about this field of study, related to the collaborative ties for the development of new products with international suppliers, focusing on the learning processes and innovation capacity. For the data collection, twelve interviews were made with internal actors and Chinese suppliers, as well as documental research. The data analysis was descriptive and interpretative through categorical content analysis.
Findings: This study results show that the company does not have a solid supplier database nor stimulate internal collaborative practices of portfolio definition, which makes products sourcing slow and inefficient. In regards to the collaboration with suppliers, the interactions are reactive and focused on problem-solving. Besides, regarding the new product developments with suppliers, there is no formal policy that values learning processes and knowledge sharing practices internally.
Originality/Value: These glimpses the possibility of improving the collaboration processes with suppliers regarding new products’ development impacting on the time-to-market and innovation capacity.
Downloads
References
Azadegan, A., & Dooley, K. J. (2010). Supplier innovativeness, organizational learning styles and manufacturer performance: An empirical assessment. Journal of operations management, 28(6), 488-505.
Bäck, I., & Kohtamäki, M. (2015). Boundaries of R&D collaboration. Technovation, 45, 15-28.
Bardin, L. (2009). Análise de Conteúdo. 70ed. Lisboa: LDA.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of management, 17(1), 99-120.
Bengtsson, L., Lakemond, N., & Dabhilkar, M. (2013). Exploiting supplier innovativeness through knowledge integration. International Journal of Technology Management 12, 61(3/4), 237-253.
Brown, S. L., & Eisenhardt, K. M. (1995). Product development: Past research, present findings, and future directions. Academy of management review, 20(2), 343-378.
Chung, L., & Tan, K. H. (2017). The unique chinese innovation pathways: Lessons from chinese small and mediuem sized manufacturing firms. International Journal of Production Economics, 190, 80-87.
Clark, K. B., Fujimoto, T. (1991) Product development performance. Boston, MA: Harvard
Clauß, T. (2012). The influence of the type of relationship on the generation of innovations in buyer–supplier collaborations. Creativity and Innovation Management, 21(4), 388-411.
Conner, K. R., & Prahalad, C. K. (1996). A resource-based theory of the firm: Knowledge versus opportunism. Organization science, 7(5), 477-501.
Cousins, P. D., Lawson, B., Petersen, K. J., & Handfield, R. B. (2011). Breakthrough scanning, supplier knowledge exchange, and new product development performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(6), 930-942.
de Leeuw, S., Van Donk, D. P., de Koster, R., Ateş, M. A., Van den Ende, J., & Ianniello, G. (2015). Inter-organizational coordination patterns in buyer-supplier-design agency triads in NPD projects. International Journal of Operations & Production Management. 35(11), 1512-1545.
Dyer, J. H., & Singh, H. (1998). The relational view: Cooperative strategy and sources of interorganizational competitive advantage. Academy of management review, 23(4), 660-679.
Eisenhardt, K. M., & Santos, F. M. (2002). Knowledge-based view: A new theory of strategy. Handbook of strategy and management, 1(1), 139-164.
Grant, R. M. (1996). Toward a knowledge‐based theory of the firm. Strategic management journal, 17(S2), 109-122.
Heide, J. B., & John, G. (1990). Alliances in industrial purchasing: The determinants of joint action in buyer-supplier relationships. Journal of marketing Research, 27(1), 24-36.
Inemek, A., & Matthyssens, P. (2013). The impact of buyer–supplier relationships on supplier innovativeness: An empirical study in cross-border supply networks. Industrial Marketing Management, 42(4), 580-594.
Jean, R. J. B., Sinkovics, R. R., & Hiebaum, T. P. (2014). The Effects of Supplier Involvement and Knowledge Protection on Product Innovation in Customer–Supplier Relationships: A Study of Global Automotive Suppliers in China. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(1), 98-113.
Jean, R. J. B., Sinkovics, R. R., & Kim, D. (2017). Antecedents and outcomes of supplier innovativeness in international customer–supplier relationships: the role of knowledge distance. Management International Review, 57(1), 121-151.
Johnsen, T. E. (2009). Supplier involvement in new product development and innovation: Taking stock and looking to the future. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 15(3), 187-197.
Johnson, B. H. & Lundvall, B. (2005). Promovendo sistemas de inovação como resposta à economia do aprendizado crescentemente globalizada. In Conhecimento, sistemas de inovação e desenvolvimento. Editora UFRJ, 83-130.
Joshi, A. W. (2017). OEM implementation of supplier-developed component innovations: the role of supplier actions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45(4), 548-568.
Knoppen, D., Johnston, D., & Sáenz, M. J. (2015). Supply chain relationships as a context for learning leading to innovation. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 26(3), 543-567.
Kogut, B., & Zander, U. (1992). Knowledge of the firm, combinative capabilities, and the replication of technology. Organization science, 3(3), 383-397.
Lawson, B., Krause, D., & Potter, A. (2015). Improving supplier new product development performance: the role of supplier development. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 32(5), 777-792.
Lawson, B., Petersen, K. J., Cousins, P. D., & Handfield, R. B. (2009). Knowledge sharing in interorganizational product development teams: The effect of formal and informal socialization mechanisms. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 26(2), 156-172.
Lawson, B., Tyler, B. B., & Potter, A. (2015). Strategic suppliers' technical contributions to new product advantage: Substitution and configuration options. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 32(5), 760-776.
Luo, C., Mallick, D. N., & Schroeder, R. G. (2010). Collaborative product development: Exploring the role of internal coordination capability in supplier involvement. European Journal of Innovation Management, 13(2), 244-266.
Luzzini, D., Amann, M., Caniato, F., Essig, M., & Ronchi, S. (2015). The path of innovation: purchasing and supplier involvement into new product development. Industrial Marketing Management, 47, 109-120.
Merminod, V., & Rowe, F. (2012). How does PLM technology support knowledge transfer and translation in new product development? Transparency and boundary spanners in an international context. Information and Organization, 22(4), 295-322.
Nonaka, I. & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The Knowledge-Creating Company. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Nudurupati, S. S., Bhattacharya, A., Lascelles, D., & Caton, N. (2015). Strategic sourcing with multi-stakeholders through value co-creation: An evidence from global health care company. International Journal of Production Economics, 166, 248-257.
Ojha, D., Shockley, J., & Acharya, C. (2016). Supply chain organizational infrastructure for promoting entrepreneurial emphasis and innovativeness: The role of trust and learning. International Journal of Production Economics, 179, 212-227.
Oke, A., Prajogo, D. I., & Jayaram, J. (2013). Strengthening the innovation chain: The role of internal innovation climate and strategic relationships with supply chain partners. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 49(4), 43-58.
Pavitt, K., Bessant, J., Tidd, J. (2008). Gestão da Inovação. Porto Alegre: Bookman.
Perols, J., Zimmermann, C., & Kortmann, S. (2013). On the relationship between supplier integration and time-to-market. Journal of Operations Management, 31(3), 153-167.
Rosell, D. T., Lakemond, N., & Wasti, S. N. (2014). Integrating knowledge with suppliers at the R&D-manufacturing interface. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 25(2), 240-257.
Saenz, M. J., Revilla, E., & Knoppen, D. (2014). Absorptive capacity in buyer–supplier relationships: empirical evidence of its mediating role. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 50(2), 18-40.
Tether, B. S. (2002). Who co-operates for innovation, and why: an empirical analysis. Research policy, 31(6), 947-967.
Thomas, E. (2013). Supplier integration in new product development: Computer mediated communication, knowledge exchange and buyer performance. Industrial Marketing Management, 42(6), 890-899.
Tseng, C. H., & Chen, L. T. (2014). Determinants of subsidiary’s technological capability–examining the roles of subsidiary–local supplier linkage. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 29(5), 374-386.
Tsinopoulos, C., & Mena, C. (2015). Supply chain integration configurations: process structure and product newness. International journal of operations & production management, 35(10), 1437-1459.
Wang, L., Yeung, J. H. Y., & Zhang, M. (2011). The impact of trust and contract on innovation performance: The moderating role of environmental uncertainty. International journal of production Economics, 134(1), 114-122.
Williamson, O. E. (1981). The economics of organization: The transaction cost approach. American journal of sociology, 87(3), 548-577.
Yan, T., & Nair, A. (2016). Structuring supplier involvement in new product development: a China–US study. Decision Sciences, 47(4), 589-627.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Revista de Administração da UFSM
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors of articles published by ReA/UFSM retain the copyright of their works, licensing them under the Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0), which allows articles to be reused and distributed without restriction, provided that the original work is properly cited.
