Knowledge Diffusion in a Global Supply Network: A Network of Practice View

Abstract

This study investigates how knowledge diffusion occurs in a globally dispersed supply network, wherein buying firms and suppliers often do not have strong relationships and competitive tensions prevail. We elaborate the Network of Practice (NoP) view by examining a global supply network in the food sector that is as an exemplar of high global dispersion. This paper provides several novel insights into global knowledge diffusion. We introduce the NoP concept of homophily into the field of supply chain management to explain knowledge diffusion within global supply networks. We take a longitudinal perspective to show that although prior contractual ties (relational homophily) and co‐location (location homophily) initially drive knowledge diffusion, in the long‐term, shared practices (practice homophily) are the principal driver of knowledge diffusion. We demonstrate that buying firms’ assurance of procedural justice, together with the predominance of geographically dispersed suppliers and the emergence of nexus members, can help dampen supplier resistance to knowledge diffusion. The study shows that knowledge diffusion in a global supply NoP occurs in two complementary forms—broadcasting forums and action groups—which vary in breadth, depth, and tie diversity. Ultimately, we present vertical (buyer‐supplier), horizontal (suppliersupplier), and diagonal (non‐competitive) relationships as important refinements of the NoP view that characterize a global supply NoP. Overall, our findings offer a path for buying firms to establish adequate online infrastructure to support the emergence of decentralized and self‐organized knowledge diffusion in a globally dispersed supply network.

The association between supply chain structure and transparency: A large‐scale empirical study

“…For example, some studies identify different know-how and capabilities between supply chain members as enabling collective outcomes, such as innovation (Gao et al, 2015), new market formation (Lee et al, 2018) and executing other complex collective tasks (Rodan & Galunic, 2004;Sammarra & Biggiero, 2008). In these studies, supply chain geographical heterogeneity stimulates information sharing as a form of reciprocity to strangers and distant supply chain members who are not viewed as direct competitors (Constant et al, 1996;Marques et al, 2019). Similarly, supply chain industrial heterogeneity generates collective outcomes by favoring collaboration, as supply chain members provide complementary know-how to the innovation process (Enkel & Gassmann, 2010;Leven et al, 2014).…”

“…Research in a variety of empirical settings-from risk management (Bode & Wagner, 2015) to conflict minerals (Kim & Davis, 2016)-suggests that supply chain heterogeneity may inhibit the attainment of important collective outcomes due to the limited transferability of practices that were developed to fit specific local institutions and operational settings. However, research in other settings-from new product development (Gao et al, 2015) to knowledge diffusion (Marques et al, 2019) and new market formation (Lee et al, 2018)-suggests that supply chain heterogeneity may create a collaborative climate whereby the attainment of collective outcomes is enabled by the lack of competition, the need to overcome information asymmetries and the opportunity to learn and combine complementary know-how. We find that supply chain geographical heterogeneity is positively associated with supply chain transparency, supporting H3-competing.…”

Profiling Analysis of Web of Science Journal Articles on Intellectual Property

“…The research of knowledge diffusion is an interdisciplinary field that is being commonly used in education (Cheng & Zhen, 2011), agricultural development (Islam & Madsen, 2018), supply chain management (Marques et al, 2020), and ecological governance (Leng, 2019). It has also been adopted by the library and information science on citation relation analysis between publications and patents (Ji & Wang, 2011;Duan & Ma 2018).…”

“…Knowledge diffusion can be defined as the adaptations and applications of knowledge documented in scientific publications and patents. The research of knowledge diffusion is an interdisciplinary field (Cheng & Zhen, 2011;Islam & Madsen, 2018;Marques, Yan, & Matthews, 2020;Leng, 2019), which was adopted by the library and information science on citation relational analysis between publications and patents (Ji & Wang, 2011;Duan & Ma 2018). Because of the uniqueness of the discipline of intellectual property, knowledge diffusion is commonly used for tracing -vertically -patent and technology transfer and is facilitated by bibliometrics and visualization tools.…”

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining in Global Supply Chains: A Research Agenda

“…A key methodological implication here is that if sustainability is to be central in SCM research, then expanding the current unit of analysis from one company’s supply chain to that of a group of companies appears necessary, a perspective that is only now beginning in SCM literature (Marques, Yan & Matthews, 2020). Further, to take an FOA lens and zoom in on the barriers and facilitators of its institutionalization in global supply chains would entail shifting the level of analysis of social SCM research from the firm to the network and the larger ecosystem in which that network operates (firms, suppliers, public authorities, civil society organizations, social auditing firms).…”