Above all, both the sample firms suitable to extend emergent theory (). Sunyard and Grundfos made a successful entry into new segment of business by alliance participation. What they leveraged is their initial partner’s status that is a sort of nonshared network resource. Moreover, both the sample firms provide examples of polar types () that contributes to a comparative study. Sunyard made a market entry by alliance with his supplier, whereas Grundfos entered a new segment of business by allianced with an embeded partner. Thus, Sunyard and Grundfos represent symbiotic interdependence and partner interdependence respectively. Within each firm, first, we asked the executives to summarize the strategic objectives, importance, complexity and resources when they determined to enter the target new segment of business by alliance particitation. This questioning enabled us to idenify the nonshared network resource in their initial patnership. Second, we asked them to the disadvantages and advantages that they faced and strategic actions they took in order to examine how they leveraged such resource to ensure endorcement by their environment. Table 1 summerizes the characteristcs of focal firms and their initial partners. Table 1 Overview of the Focal Firms and Their Partners Number of Informants Initial Business Founding Firm Revenuesa Informants Interviewed partner Areas Date Interviewedb by Type Corporate ICBC Financial ¥ 924 Executive: 2 Sunyard 1996 5 Software million General Manager: 3 Corporate Huangming ¥ 36.7 executive: 3 Grundfos Pump 1945 8 billion General manager: 5 a: The data is searched in the firms’ annual report in 2013 b: Several informants were interviewed more than once, with over XXX interviews being conducted among the three cases.
Above all, both the sample firms suitable to extend emergent theory (). Sunyard and Grundfos made a successful entry into new segment of business by alliance participation. What they leveraged is their initial partner’s status that is a sort of nonshared network resource. Moreover, both the sample firms provide examples of polar types () that contributes to a comparative study. Sunyard made a market entry by alliance with his supplier, whereas Grundfos entered a new segment of business by allianced with an embeded partner. Thus, Sunyard and Grundfos represent symbiotic interdependence and partner interdependence respectively. Within each firm, first, we asked the executives to summarize the strategic objectives, importance, complexity and resources when they determined to enter the target new segment of business by alliance particitation. This questioning enabled us to idenify the nonshared network resource in their initial patnership. Second, we asked them to the disadvantages and advantages that they faced and strategic actions they took in order to examine how they leveraged such resource to ensure endorcement by their environment. Table 1 summerizes the characteristcs of focal firms and their initial partners. Table 1 Overview of the Focal Firms and Their Partners Firm Business Areas Founding Date Revenuesa Number of Informants Interviewedb Informants Interviewed by Type Initial partner Sunyard Financial Software 1996 ¥ 924 million 5 Corporate Executive: 2 General Manager: 3 ICBC Grundfos Pump 1945 ¥ 36.7 billion 8 Corporate executive: 3 General manager: 5 Huangming a: The data is searched in the firms’ annual report in 2013 b: Several informants were interviewed more than once, with over XXX interviews being conducted among the three cases.