IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ororsc/v29y2018i3p471-488.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What Do They Know? The Antecedents of Information Accuracy Differentials in Interorganizational Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Joris Knoben

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6500 HK Nijmegen, Netherlands)

  • Leon A. G. Oerlemans

    (Department of Organization Studies and Center for Innovation Research, Tilburg University, 5000 LE Tilburg, Netherlands; Graduate School of Technology Management, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

  • Annefleur R. Krijkamp

    (Haute Equipe Partners in Public B.V., 2012 DA Haarlem, Netherlands)

  • Keith G. Provan

    (Eller College of Management, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721)

Abstract

A growing body of network studies argues that firms purposefully act based on the network structure and their relative position in it. In this paper, we assess the validity of one of the core assumptions underpinning these arguments: that managers have accurate information about the structure of the network in which their organizations are embedded. We extend theory on interorganizational networks by developing novel hypotheses regarding the antecedents of differences in this network information accuracy between organizations. We test these hypotheses by drawing on a unique data set of two whole networks in the healthcare industry in the Netherlands in which both the “objective” network structure and the organizational perceptions of that structure are assessed. The empirical analyses revealed considerable differences among organizations in terms of the accuracy of their network information, especially with regard to accuracy about different parts of the network. A key finding is that the network position of the focal and the assessed organizations is essential for explaining information accuracy differentials. From these findings, we discuss which network strategies are viable strategic options for which organizations and derive implications for future network theory and research.

Suggested Citation

  • Joris Knoben & Leon A. G. Oerlemans & Annefleur R. Krijkamp & Keith G. Provan, 2018. "What Do They Know? The Antecedents of Information Accuracy Differentials in Interorganizational Networks," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 471-488, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:29:y:2018:i:3:p:471-488
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2017.1180
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2017.1180
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/orsc.2017.1180?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hung, Shih-Chang, 2005. "The plurality of institutional embeddedness as a source of organizational attention differences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 1543-1551, November.
    2. Rowley, Timothy J. & Baum, Joel A.C., 0. "Sophistication of interfirm network strategies in the Canadian investment banking industry," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 103-124, March.
    3. Francois Collet & Déborah Philippe, 2014. "From Hot Cakes to Cold Feet: A Contingent Perspective on the Relationship between Market Uncertainty and Status Homophily in the Formation of Alliances," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 406-432, May.
    4. William Ocasio, 2011. "Attention to Attention," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1286-1296, October.
    5. Bill McEvily & Akbar Zaheer, 1999. "Bridging ties: a source of firm heterogeneity in competitive capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(12), pages 1133-1156, December.
    6. Cameron, A. Colin & Gelbach, Jonah B. & Miller, Douglas L., 2011. "Robust Inference With Multiway Clustering," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 29(2), pages 238-249.
    7. Richard F. J. Haans & Constant Pieters & Zi-Lin He, 2016. "Thinking about U: Theorizing and testing U- and inverted U-shaped relationships in strategy research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(7), pages 1177-1195, July.
    8. Gautam Ahuja & Francisco Polidoro & Will Mitchell, 2009. "Structural homophily or social asymmetry? The formation of alliances by poorly embedded firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(9), pages 941-958, September.
    9. Lori Rosenkopf & Giovanna Padula, 2008. "Investigating the Microstructure of Network Evolution: Alliance Formation in the Mobile Communications Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(5), pages 669-687, October.
    10. Stephen P. Borgatti & Rob Cross, 2003. "A Relational View of Information Seeking and Learning in Social Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 432-445, April.
    11. Cyril Bouquet & Allen Morrison & Julian Birkinshaw, 2009. "International attention and multinational enterprise performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(1), pages 108-131, January.
    12. Eckhardt Bode, 2004. "The spatial pattern of localized R&D spillovers: an empirical investigation for Germany," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 43-64, January.
    13. J. Gower & P. Legendre, 1986. "Metric and Euclidean properties of dissimilarity coefficients," Journal of Classification, Springer;The Classification Society, vol. 3(1), pages 5-48, March.
    14. Stephen P. Borgatti & Daniel S. Halgin, 2011. "On Network Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1168-1181, October.
    15. de Mast, Jeroen, 2007. "Agreement and Kappa-Type Indices," The American Statistician, American Statistical Association, vol. 61, pages 148-153, May.
    16. Joel A. C. Baum & Andrew V. Shipilov & Tim J. Rowley, 2003. "Where do small worlds come from?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(4), pages 697-725, August.
    17. Kilduff, Martin & Crossland, Craig & Tsai, Wenpin & Krackhardt, David, 2008. "Organizational network perceptions versus reality: A small world after all?," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 107(1), pages 15-28, September.
    18. Greta Hsu, 2006. "Evaluative schemas and the attention of critics in the US film industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 15(3), pages 467-496, June.
    19. Kent D. Miller & Shu-Jou Lin, 2015. "Analogical reasoning for diagnosing strategic issues in dynamic and complex environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(13), pages 2000-2020, December.
    20. Andrew V. Shipilov & Stan Xiao Li & Henrich R. Greve, 2011. "The Prince and the Pauper: Search and Brokerage in the Initiation of Status-Heterophilous Ties," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(6), pages 1418-1434, December.
    21. Melissa A. Schilling, 2009. "Understanding the alliance data," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 233-260, March.
    22. Akbar Zaheer & Varghese P. George, 2004. "Reach out or reach within? Performance implications of alliances and location in biotechnology," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(6-7), pages 437-452.
    23. William Ocasio, 1997. "Towards An Attention‐Based View Of The Firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 187-206, July.
    24. Lori Rosenkopf & Paul Almeida, 2003. "Overcoming Local Search Through Alliances and Mobility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 751-766, June.
    25. Stephane Lhuillery & Etienne Pfister, 2011. "Do Firms Know the Scope of their R&D Network? An Empirical Investigation of the Determinants of Network Awareness on French Survey Data," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 105-130.
    26. Robert S. Huckman & Darren E. Zinner, 2008. "Does focus improve operational performance? Lessons from the management of clinical trials," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 173-193, February.
    27. Matthew S. Bothner & Young-Kyu Kim & Edward Bishop Smith, 2012. "How Does Status Affect Performance? Status as an Asset vs. Status as a Liability in the PGA and NASCAR," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 416-433, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhou, Meihua & Angelopoulos, Spyros & Ou, Carol & Liu, Hongwei & Liang, Zhouyang, 2023. "Optimization of dynamic product offerings on online marketplaces: A network theory perspective," Other publications TiSEM 75d71155-88bf-4ff7-aba1-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Blanken, Mariëlle & Mathijssen, Jolanda & van Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs & Raab, Jörg & van Oers, Hans, 2023. "Actors’ awareness of network governance in Child Welfare and Healthcare service networks," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 29-36.
    3. Światowiec-Szczepańska, Justyna & Małys, Łukasz, 2021. "Board Interlocks as a Diffusion of Strategic Information – Does it Work? A Polish Case," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 26(4), pages 589-616.
    4. Krijkamp, Annefleur R. & Knoben, Joris & Oerlemans, Leon A.G. & Leenders, Roger T.A.J., 2021. "An ace in the hole: The effects of (in)accurately observed structural holes on organizational reputation positions in whole networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 703-713.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Krijkamp, Annefleur R. & Knoben, Joris & Oerlemans, Leon A.G. & Leenders, Roger T.A.J., 2021. "An ace in the hole: The effects of (in)accurately observed structural holes on organizational reputation positions in whole networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 703-713.
    2. Yi-Ju Lo & Tung M. Hung, 2017. "Is a powerful rival a right partner?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 661-690, July.
    3. Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz & Ranjay Gulati, 2012. "Toward a Theory of Extended Contact: The Incentives and Opportunities for Bridging Across Network Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(6), pages 1658-1681, December.
    4. Anindya Ghosh & Lori Rosenkopf, 2015. "PERSPECTIVE—Shrouded in Structure: Challenges and Opportunities for a Friction-Based View of Network Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(2), pages 622-631, April.
    5. Steffen Runge & Christian Schwens & Matthias Schulz, 2022. "The invention performance implications of coopetition: How technological, geographical, and product market overlaps shape learning and competitive tension in R&D alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 266-294, February.
    6. William Ocasio, 2011. "Attention to Attention," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1286-1296, October.
    7. Tomi Laamanen, 2019. "Dynamic attention-based view of corporate headquarters in MNCs," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Ranjay Gulati & Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz, 2012. "The Rise and Fall of Small Worlds: Exploring the Dynamics of Social Structure," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 449-471, April.
    9. Pieters, Michiel & Gilsing, Victor & Vanhaverbeke, Wim, 2009. "Mind the gap: Balancing alliance network and technology portfolios during periods of technological uncertainty," MPRA Paper 26491, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2010.
    10. Corbo, Leonardo & Corrado, Raffaele & Ferriani, Simone, 2024. "Network pathways of peripheral firm entry: Empirical evidence from the global airline industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    11. Vikas A. Aggarwal, 2020. "Resource congestion in alliance networks: How a firm's partners’ partners influence the benefits of collaboration," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 627-655, April.
    12. Gilsing, Victor & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Pieters, Michiel, 2014. "Mind the gap," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 351-362.
    13. Melissa A. Schilling, 2015. "Technology Shocks, Technological Collaboration, and Innovation Outcomes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(3), pages 668-686, June.
    14. Mario V. Tomasello & Mauro Napoletano & Antonios Garas & Frank Schweitzer, 2017. "The rise and fall of R&D networks," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(4), pages 617-646.
    15. Gotsopoulos, Aleksios & Pitsakis, Konstantinos, 2024. "United we stand? Organizational groups and spinoff mortality in the context of academic entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(1).
    16. Hoppmann, Joern & Wu, Geng & Johnson, Jillian, 2021. "The impact of demand-pull and technology-push policies on firms’ knowledge search," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    17. Rajat Khanna & Isin Guler, 2022. "Degree assortativity in collaboration networks and invention performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1402-1430, July.
    18. Pedersen, Torben & Soda, Giuseppe & Stea, Diego, 2019. "Globally networked: Intraorganizational boundary spanning in the global organization," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 169-180.
    19. Angulo-Ruiz, Fernando & Pergelova, Albena & Dana, Leo Paul, 2020. "The internationalization of social hybrid firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 266-278.
    20. Francois Collet & Déborah Philippe, 2014. "From Hot Cakes to Cold Feet: A Contingent Perspective on the Relationship between Market Uncertainty and Status Homophily in the Formation of Alliances," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 406-432, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:29:y:2018:i:3:p:471-488. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.