Interfirm Relational Governance through Media Choice and Communication Practices in the Coopetitive Context.

In this paper, we explore the role of communication behavior on the development of interfirm relational governance in coopetitive partnerships. Empirical qualitative evidence drawn from two dyadic cases of coopetitive partnership indicates that despite the high-tech nature of the projects involved, the dominant means of communication was email, which is often described as lean and low in media synchronicity making it unsuitable for complex tasks. Our findings show that communication behavior both in terms of media choice and content, may serve as both a barometer of unhealthy relational governance in a coopetitive arrangement, as well as a means of building and strengthening the relationship. The study extends our understanding of relational governance especially among firms that are dispersed and which have to rely on a variety of media for their communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]