Microfoundations of dynamic new venture partnering capabilities

Abstract

Managing relationships with new venture suppliers require the adaptation of supplier management practices and routines. This research builds upon the dynamic capabilities perspective to explicate the ability to partner effectively with new venture suppliers as a dynamic capability. We argue that new venture partnering capability (NVPC) encompasses sensing, seizing, and transforming capabilities. Firms with sensing capabilities can interpret new ventures' value propositions and then match them to the needs of their business units. Seizing capabilities allow firms to coordinate and develop the relationship with a new venture supplier to capture value. Transforming capabilities enable firms to adapt resources and reconfigure their sensing and seizing capabilities. Our findings suggest that firms accelerate the transformation and strengthen dynamic NVPCs by applying entrepreneurial behavior through high-quality and regular interactions with new venture suppliers and embedding a dedicated new venture function. We also find that dynamic NVPCs can reside at different levels and that entrepreneurial managers can stimulate the development of organizational NVPCs. In general, we provide further empirical evidence on how buying firms can more effectively leverage the potential of new venture suppliers.