Competition or Cooperation? An Exploratory Study in Cross-border Industry Networks

Firms are embedded in networks of inter-organizational relationships which influence the behaviors and performance of firms and the flow of resources among them. The purpose of the study is to develop a conceptual framework of Cross-border industry networks with the focus on competitive and collaborative elements. First, we identify simultaneously the collaborative and competitive elements of the relationship in Cross-border industry networks, and based on industrial economics and network theory, we develop a conceptual framework to explore the nature and dynamics of competition and cooperation in Cross-border industry networks. Then, we develop propositions to identify the determinants of competition and cooperation. Finally, discussing the theoretical and practical implication, we conclude that the relational embeddedness perspective with a focus on competition and cooperation dynamics in industrial network advances our understanding of network dynamics.