Knowledge sharing and collaborative relationships in business ecosystems and networks. A definition and a demarcation
| Published date | 14 August 2017 |
| Pages | 1407-1425 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-09-2016-0408 |
| Date | 14 August 2017 |
| Author | Anna Wulf,Lynne Butel |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
Knowledge sharing and
collaborative relationships in
business ecosystems
and networks
A definition and a demarcation
Anna Wulf and Lynne Butel
Plymouth Graduate School of Management, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The sharing of knowledge between partners in collaborative relationships is widely accepted to
be fundamental to supporting strategic decision making, particularly in relation to innovation management
and business sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how the structure of collaborative
relationships in business networks may determine successful knowledge sharing and thus improve decision
making and business performance.
Design/methodology/approach –Expert interviews were conducted with participants operating in
networks and business ecosystem in four different sectors in Italy and Germany, exploring the process of
knowledge sharing, organisational learning and decision making within collaborative relationships.
A qualitative textual analysis was used to analyse the experts’responses.
Findings –The research found that an organisation’s network position and the network structure, as well as
the governance and richness of the business ecosystem in which it operates, influence its ability to share
knowledge, to innovate and therefore to compete sustainably.
Research limitations/implications –The research demonstrates that innovative strategic decision
making, based on access to appropriate knowledge, occurs within the context of social and business network
relations operating within a broader more diverse business ecosystem. Closer dyadic or small working group
ties best facilitate trust and sharing of the most valuable knowledge. Appropriate participation in and
management of such structures is therefore essential to support knowledge-based decision making, and
critical to sustained competitive advantage.
Originality/value –The research focusses on how interfirm relationships are established and maintained,
how firms establish trust and facilitate knowledge sharing forming the basis of organisational learning.
Keywords Knowledge sharing, Decision support, Networks, Business ecosystems, Open strategy
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Collaboration between companies and firms working in a network of interconnections has
been of interest to researchers for some time (Lorenzoni and Baden-Fuller, 1995; Chesbrough
and Appleyard, 2007). Resource sharing is recognised to be a major reason for collaboration
between partners (Ahuja, 2000). Knowledge is considered to be the central resource,
enabling firms to build competitive advantage, develop innovative ideas and build
sustainable competitive advantage (Lorenzoni and Baden-Fuller, 1995; Barney, 1991).
Knowledge sharing between partners is not subject to the same governance mechanisms
and processes as knowledge sharing within companies (De Witt and Meyer, 2010). However,
between network partners and within organisations, knowledge is shared through both
formal and informal relations (Caimo and Lomi, 2014). Formal relations are governed in a
different way from informal relations and distinct knowledge sharing mechanisms exist
(Caimo and Lomi, 2014). Furthermore, companies network relations depend on the industry
structure as well as the position each fulfils within the network (Iansiti and Levien, 2004;
Zahra and Nambisan, 2012). There is considerable research exploring how knowledge is
shared within networks (Grant, 1996a; Grant and Baden-Fuller, 2004; Zheng et al., 2011)
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 117 No. 7, 2017
pp. 1407-1425
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-09-2016-0408
Received 30 September 2016
Revised 6 January 2017
17 February 2017
31 March 2017
Accepted 5 April 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
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Knowledge
sharing and
collaborative
relationships
and a recent conceptual article identified the key structural determinants of knowledge sharing;
the formal and informal relations operating in network structures (Wulf and Butel, 2016).
Research into business ecosystems has evolved over the last ten years. Recent research
has focussed on value creation (Adner and Kapoor, 2010), the evolution of value chains
within business ecosystems (Rong et al., 2010), the development of egocentric ecosystems
(Isckia, 2009), and understanding business ecosystems driven by innovation and technology
(Li, 2009; Zhang and Liang, 2011); little is known about the structural determinants of
successful knowledge sharing within a business ecosystem.
Business ecosystem structures, similar to business networks, enable firms to exchange
knowledge (Arya and Zhiang, 2007), take decisions and compete in a sustainable way,
depending on their position within the system and their ability to influence the ecosystem
structures (Albers et al., 2016; Rong and Shi, 2015). This paper first conducts in a detailed
literature review, focussing on research on business ecosystem theory and network theory.
Network theory is examined in order to understand structural determinants of knowledge
sharing within different network structures. The influence of the resource-based view of
firms and resource exchange between firms is acknowledged and different types of
relationships are explored (Pulles and Schiele, 2013). The structural and relational
embeddedness of the social capital perspective (Burt, 1992; Coleman, 1988) is also employed.
Business ecosystem theory is reviewed focussing on the underlying concepts based on
resource sharing. Finally, the differences between ecosystems and networks, and the
determinants of knowledge sharing within business ecosystems, particularly in relation to
innovation are identified.
In order to understand how managers differentiate between network and business
ecosystem structures, ten expert interviews were used to explore the underlying structures
and dynamics of business ecosystems. The focus is on understanding the determinants of
knowledge sharing and innovation within different structures. A qualitative text analysis
was conducted to identify how the experts thought business ecosystems and networks are
structured and how different structures enable or constrain knowledge sharing, particularly
in relation to the sharing of knowledge that is critical.
In the following literature review, different network structures will be described and
analysed as well as the influence they have on the exchange of knowledge.
2. Literature review
2.1 Knowledge sharing in networks
Collaborative relationships often develop organically in order that organisations might
share resources (Pulles and Schiele, 2013; Barney, 1991). Developing innovative ideas
to gain competitive advantage (Lorenzoni and Baden-Fuller, 1995) and take strategic
decisions for a long-term sustainable advantage is central to these collaborations. Network
structures lack the formal coordination function that organisations have (Grant, 1996a).
As networks are neither market nor hierarchies (Powell, 1990) they have different
governance mechanisms that contrast markedly with normal market and pure hierarchy
mechanisms ( Jones et al., 1997). Consequently, collaborative relationships can be seen as
constructs that are explained by st ructural and relational factor s influenced by
organisational theory (Goh, 2012; Powell, 1990; Ahuja and Carley, 1999) as well as social
and business network theory (Lorenzoni and Baden-Fuller, 1995; Jarillo, 1988; Pulles and
Schiele, 2013; Scott, 2012; Grant and Baden-Fuller, 2004). In order to be innovative and create
sustainable competitive advantage (Barney, 1991) knowledge is considered to be the most
important resource enabling firms to develop new capabilities and innovative strategies
(Lorenzoni and Baden-Fuller, 1995; Grant, 1996a, b; Grant and Baden-Fuller, 2004).
Knowledge sharing therefore plays a vital role in collaborative relationships
(Uzzi, 1997) and is seen as a key capability which is essential for building competitive
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