Inter-cluster relations in a coopetition context: the case of Inno'vin

Alors que les réseaux inter-clusters correspondent à un cas précis de relations inter-organisationnelles, leur potentiel « coopétitif » et asymétrique a rarement été exploré. Ici, nous examinons les difficultés que représentent le développement d'une relation inter-cluster productive et coopétitive dans un contexte asymétrique, et les mécanismes générateurs de confiance nécessaires au dépassement de ces difficultés. Le cas du cluster français Inno'vin nous apporte des informations intéressantes sur le sujet. En utilisant cinq phases de collecte de données conduites sur une période de huit ans, nous avons comparé les relations entre Inno'vin et deux autres clusters situés dans, ou à proximité de, la même zone géographique, et positionnés dans des champs d'activité similaires. Notre article met l'accent sur l'importance de la concurrence dans un contexte de collaborations inter-clusters et, par ailleurs, identifie les principales difficultés de la coopétition inter-cluster, tout en soulignant le rôle de l'asymétrie. De plus, nous tenons également compte de la littérature existante sur les mécanismes générateurs de confiance dans le contexte spécifique des collaborations inter-clusters asymétriques.While interclustering corresponds to a specific case of inter-organizational relations, its coopetitive and asymmetric potential has rarely been investigated. Here, we examine the challenges in developing a productive coopetitive inter-cluster relationship in a context of asymmetry, and the trust-generating mechanisms needed to overcome these challenges. The case of the French cluster, Inno'vin, gives us some interesting insights into the issue. With five data collection phases conducted over an eight-year period, we compared the relations between Inno'vin and two other clusters located in the same or a nearby geographical area and positioned in similar fields. Our paper highlights the importance of competition in the context of interclustering and identifies the main challenges of inter-cluster coopetition, while emphasizing the role of asymmetry. Moreover, we extend the existing literature on trust-generating mechanisms in the specific context of asymmetric interclustering

The end of the opportunism vs trust debate: bounded reliability as a new envelope concept in research on MNE governance

Modern transaction cost economics (TCE) thinking has developed into a key intellectual foundation of international business (IB) research, but the Williamsonian version has faced substantial criticism for adopting the behavioral assumption of opportunism. In this paper we assess both the opportunism concept and existing alternatives such as trust within the context of IB research, especially work on multinational enterprise (MNE) governance. Case analyses of nine global MNEs illustrate an alternative to the opportunism assumption that captures more fully the mechanisms underlying failed commitments inside the MNE. As a substitute for the often-criticized assumption of opportunism, we propose the envelope concept of bounded reliability (BRel), an assumption that represents more accurately and more completely the reasons for failed commitments, without invalidating the other critical assumption in conventional TCE (and internalization theory) thinking, namely the widely accepted envelope concept of bounded rationality (BRat). Bounded reliability as an envelope concept includes two main components, within the context of global MNE management: opportunism as intentional deceit, and benevolent preference reversal. The implications for IB research of adopting the bounded reliability concept are far reaching, as this concept may increase the legitimacy of comparative institutional analysis in the social sciences