Linking transaction cost and social exchange theory to explain strategic alliance performance: a meta-analytic structural equation model

Abstract

Drawing on transaction cost economics (TCE) and social exchange theory (SET), we develop and test an integrative model of strategic alliance performance using meta-analytic structural equation modelling. Results reveal that TCE's key constructs (e.g., relationship specific investments, opportunism, and environmental uncertainty) influence SET's key constructs (e.g., trust and commitment) which in turn increase different strategic alliance performance outcomes (e.g., satisfaction, goal fulfilment, profitability, and stability). Further, our results show that the different outcome variables are distinct constructs, which measure different facets of strategic alliance performance.