Integration of knowledge and enhancing competitiveness: A case of acquisition of Zain by Bharti Airtel

Critical success factors determining performance of cross‐border acquisition: Evidence from the African telecom market

“…The integration of knowledge allows firms to ensure the quality of decision making and to deal with highly competitive market environments effectively. Therefore, the integration of knowledge by strategic alliances and acquisitions provides support to gain market access (Deng, 2010) and improves performance in crossborder businesses (Dhir et al, 2019;Kumar & Singh, 2008).…”

“…The acquirer's absorptive capacity enhances learning and expertise of an affiliated firm for better firm performance after acquisition (Dhir et al, 2019). The absorptive capacity of an acquiring firm helps to build organizational capabilities (Zahra & George, 2002) and create new knowledge that improves business performance (Reuer, 2000).…”

“…After the acquisition, Bharti Airtel turned into the fifth-biggest mobile network operator in the worldwide market in 2015 with a consumer base of 180 million and 18,800 service sites. Bharti Airtel's primary goal for purchasing Zain telecom was to expand its market to cross-border markets(Dhir et al, 2019).Zain Telecom's purchase in South Africa was an Indian company's second-largest acquisition agreement after the Tatas Corus agreement in 20,017. The mobile phone customers were growing at 40% in African countries.…”

Strategic management: The evolution of the field

“…As early as 1970s, strategy scholars had been bifurcated into two factions: “strategy as plan” researchers who outlined the determination of strategy from the standpoint of “HOW” firm's strategies emerge and change over time, and “strategy as pattern” researchers interested in knowing the strategy's antecedents and outcomes and seeking to answer the question of “WHAT” underpins firm's competitive advantage (Dhir, Ongsakul, Ahmed, & Rajan, ). Alternatively, “pattern” research was, and is still, concerned with the past strategy part of strategic management, while “plan” research was, and is still, more concerned with the management part.…”

Global marketplace strategy and choice of interaction after termination of international joint venture

“…Furthermore, IJVs also facilitate both parent firms to effectively tap exploration and exploitation opportunities (Dhir & Dhir, ; Dhir, Mital, & Srivastava, ; Hasan, Dhir, & Dhir, ; Lavie & Rosenkopf, ; Luo, Shenkar, & Nyaw, ; Rothaermel & Deeds, ) and gain relational rents (Dyer & Singh, ). Moreover, IJV allows foreign firms to leverage domestic firm's local market knowledge and unique competencies (Chang et al, ; Hitt, Ahlstrom, Dacin, Levitas, & Svobodina, ) to meet regulatory (Dhir, Ongsakul, Ahmed, & Rajan, ; Farge & Wells Jr., ; Gomes‐Casseres, , ; Lecraw, ), cultural (Kogut & Singh, ; Makino & Neupert, ; Merchant & Schendel, ; Tihanyi, Griffith, & Russell, ), and institutional challenges (Dhir & Dhir, , , ; Dhir & Mital, ; Khanna, Palepu, & Sinha, ; Palepu & Khanna, ; Xavier, Bandeira‐de‐Mello, & Marcon, ) that influences pursuance of global marketplace strategy in the host country. Extant literature has identified four different global marketplace strategies based on two factors—pressure to lower costs and pressure for local adaptation (Bartlett & Ghoshal, ; Yip, ).…”