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The influence of cultural differences in cooperative learning through joint ventures

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Abstract

This study analyzes the influence on interorganizational learning attributed to differences in organizational cultures of partnering firms, through joint ventures. We attempt to carry out an in-depth analysis into the type of influences involved and whether they are positive or negative, or if they foster or hinder learning. We analyze a sample consisting of firms that had entered into a joint venture and then contrasted our hypotheses against the sample using structural equations. The results confirm the existence of a degree of influence and conclude that this influence is positive for this type of learning.

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Notes

  1. In this study we use the concepts of cooperation and strategic alliances indistinctly.

  2. We would like to thank the Bureau van Dijk, and particularly Mr. Rein Bouchet and Mr. Javier Tejerina for their generous cooperation with our research.

  3. We found some empirical studies on cooperation and learning where the sample size is similar to this one, studies published, for example, in Strategic Management Journal, such as those of Kale et al. (2002) with 78 firms, Colombo (2003) with 67, Lane et al. (2001) with 78 joint ventures; and Lane and Lubatkin (1998) with 69.

  4. Although Norusis (1993) establishes the limit of 0.30, we prefer to be stricter and use the limit imposed by Bontis (1998) in his research.

  5. We use the method of maximum likelihood following the instructions of Ullman (1996), who claims that this method is a good option for small samples, as long as it is plausible to assume normality and independence, as happens with our data. Hair et al. (1999) state that this method gives valid results with samples of just 50 observations, but that a sample of this size is not recommendable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Maria del Mar Benavides-Espinosa

  2. University of Valencia, IUDESCOOP, Valencia, Spain

    Salvador Roig-Dobón

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  1. Maria del Mar Benavides-Espinosa
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  2. Salvador Roig-Dobón
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Correspondence to Salvador Roig-Dobón.

Appendix A

Appendix A

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del Mar Benavides-Espinosa, M., Roig-Dobón, S. The influence of cultural differences in cooperative learning through joint ventures. Serv Bus 5, 69–85 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-011-0102-1

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