The Influence of Intangible TSIs on Strategic Performance and the Moderating Effect

Abstract

Abstract: Previous empirical researches have provided plenty of evidence for the positive relationship between transaction specific investments (TSIs) and economic performance. However, few papers discuss the relationship between TSIs and strategic performance. To fill this research gap, this empirical paper finds that manufacturers' intangible TSIs rather than tangible TSIs could improve distributors' strategic performance. Besides, based on contingency theory, this study concludes that both outside environmental condition and inside relationship atmosphere could moderate the focus relationship between manufacturers' intangible TSIs and distributors' strategic performance: competition intensity faced by distributors strengthens the focus relationship, while technology uncertainty faced by distributors weakens it; First-order moderating effect of guanxi between boundary spanners is not significant, while it serves as ‘amplifier’ in the moderating effect of two environmental factors, namely, it has a ‘bonding’ second-order moderating effect if combined with competition intensity and a "locking" second-order moderating effect if combined with technology uncertainty. Using 206 Chinese distributors' data, this study proposes and verifies the above hypotheses.

Key words: intangible transaction specific investments, strategic performance, competition intensity, technology uncertainty, guanxi

Yang Pianpian, Qian Liping. The Influence of Intangible TSIs on Strategic Performance and the Moderating Effect[J]. , 2017, 29(3): 49-61.

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