The Influence of Customer Scope on Supplier Learning and Performance in the Japanese Automobile Industry
Keywords
entrepreneurship, innovation, alliances
Abstract
Most studies of Japanese supplier-automaker relationships have focused on the nature of the dyadic interfirm relationship and the performance of the assembler. We examine the relationship from the point of view of the supplier and argue that a broad “customer scope strategy” (i.e., number of customers) leads to superior performance, primarily because of learning opportunities. In addressing these learning opportunities, we draw attention to the important distinction between relation-specific and re-deployable knowledge and the complementary relationship between them. Our analysis of 125 Japanese suppliers supports the key argument that less exclusive ties may be a superior strategy. The argument has important implications for vertical integration and the structure of buyer-supplier relations.
Original Publication Citation
Nobeoka, Kentaro, Jeffrey H. Dyer and Anoop Madhok, (2002). “The Influence of Customer Scope on Supplier Learning and Performance in the Japanese Automobile Industry.” Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 33, No. 4, 717-736.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Nobeoka, Kentaro; Dyer, Jeff; and Madhok, Anoop, "The Influence of Customer Scope on Supplier Learning and Performance in the Japanese Automobile Industry" (2002). Faculty Publications. 9230.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/9230
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2002
Publisher
Journal of International Business Studies
Language
English
College
Marriott School of Business
Department
Marketing
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