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Strategic Business Partnerships in the Consumer Technology Industry - A Case Study on Partner Selection Criteria and Their Influence on the Outcome of Value Constellations

Michalzik, Lukas LU and Hendren, John LU (2014) ENTN39 20141
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
Thesis purpose: To identify relevant criteria underlying the partner selection process in a leading company in the consumer technology industry, as well as to subsequently analyse the influences which those criteria have on overall outcome. The intention is to draw valid implications for future research as well as for actors in similar market environments.

Methodology: The researchers of this paper have chosen to conduct exploratory research within the particular case company. An interpretivist epistemological position has been selected by orienting the emphasis on understanding the social world by specifically analysing participants in that world. A qualitative approach was chosen so that individual’s opinions, thoughts, perspectives... (More)
Thesis purpose: To identify relevant criteria underlying the partner selection process in a leading company in the consumer technology industry, as well as to subsequently analyse the influences which those criteria have on overall outcome. The intention is to draw valid implications for future research as well as for actors in similar market environments.

Methodology: The researchers of this paper have chosen to conduct exploratory research within the particular case company. An interpretivist epistemological position has been selected by orienting the emphasis on understanding the social world by specifically analysing participants in that world. A qualitative approach was chosen so that individual’s opinions, thoughts, perspectives and expressions can provide insight into this world so that findings can inductively establish justifiable theory. The focus is to assimilate reliability and validity into the qualitative research with little change of meaning other than playing down the salience of measurement issue. A highly interactive process was used as it would provide the researchers with an idyllic tool with which the necessary data can be accumulated.

Theoretical perspectives: The main theories are based on previous literature of collaborative concepts, value constellations and business partnerships. This research study investigates important partner selection criteria in value constellations and discusses how these influence the outcome of such initiatives in the consumer technology industry. The chosen case company is seen as a good setting to examine the phenomena as it is one of the first companies to anticipate different expectations between business and private customers.

Conclusions: This study contributed to a framework explaining the competitive advantages of value constellations. Namely ten key partner selection criteria and ten respective influences were empirically discovered in the focal company. Seven of these criteria were found to clearly correspond with the underlying theoretical framework of
this thesis, whereas three criteria were not explicitly referred to as key criteria in standard literature, although their importance for the case company was found to be significantly high. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Michalzik, Lukas LU and Hendren, John LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENTN39 20141
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Value constellations, Inter-organizational collaboration, Inter-organizational relationships, Partnerships, Consumer technology industry, Measures to enhance collaboration, Partner selection criteria, Collaboration influences, Competitive advantage
language
English
id
4462113
date added to LUP
2014-06-17 14:53:51
date last changed
2014-06-17 14:53:51
@misc{4462113,
  abstract     = {{Thesis purpose: To identify relevant criteria underlying the partner selection process in a leading company in the consumer technology industry, as well as to subsequently analyse the influences which those criteria have on overall outcome. The intention is to draw valid implications for future research as well as for actors in similar market environments. 

Methodology: The researchers of this paper have chosen to conduct exploratory research within the particular case company. An interpretivist epistemological position has been selected by orienting the emphasis on understanding the social world by specifically analysing participants in that world. A qualitative approach was chosen so that individual’s opinions, thoughts, perspectives and expressions can provide insight into this world so that findings can inductively establish justifiable theory. The focus is to assimilate reliability and validity into the qualitative research with little change of meaning other than playing down the salience of measurement issue. A highly interactive process was used as it would provide the researchers with an idyllic tool with which the necessary data can be accumulated. 

Theoretical perspectives: The main theories are based on previous literature of collaborative concepts, value constellations and business partnerships. This research study investigates important partner selection criteria in value constellations and discusses how these influence the outcome of such initiatives in the consumer technology industry. The chosen case company is seen as a good setting to examine the phenomena as it is one of the first companies to anticipate different expectations between business and private customers. 

Conclusions: This study contributed to a framework explaining the competitive advantages of value constellations. Namely ten key partner selection criteria and ten respective influences were empirically discovered in the focal company. Seven of these criteria were found to clearly correspond with the underlying theoretical framework of 
this thesis, whereas three criteria were not explicitly referred to as key criteria in standard literature, although their importance for the case company was found to be significantly high.}},
  author       = {{Michalzik, Lukas and Hendren, John}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Strategic Business Partnerships in the Consumer Technology Industry - A Case Study on Partner Selection Criteria and Their Influence on the Outcome of Value Constellations}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}