Interorganizational Governance Value Creation: Coordinating for Information Visibility and Flexibility in Supply Chains*

Abstract

More thoroughly understanding how interorganizational governance value can be created by information technology and other governance mechanisms is critical for supply chain management. Based primarily on transaction-cost economics and supplemented by the resource-based view, this study investigates how interorganizational governance (i.e., relational governance and virtual integration) can create value (i.e., information visibility and supply chain flexibility) in the supply chain context. The findings show that both relational governance and virtual integration benefit information visibility. Those results also support both direct and indirect (via information visibility) effects of relational governance on supply chain flexibility. Although failing to affect supply chain flexibility directly, virtual integration can still improve supply chain flexibility with its ability to enhance information visibility. Thus, interorganizational governance mechanisms emphasizing both control and collaboration can influence the gain from collaborationspecific capabilities, leading to the competitive advantage of a supply chain. The results of the study suggest that firms can gain greater supply chain flexibility within existing interfirm relationships by enhancing information visibility through virtual integration and relational governance.

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