Effects of project-generic and project-specific knowledge complementarities on value capture: The roles of non-coercive power use and project complexity

Abstract

Complementary knowledge of partner firms in inter-firm new product development (NPD) projects plays a significant role in their value capture. Partner firms from different areas of expertise provide project-generic and project-specific complementary knowledge. However, it remains unclear how different types of knowledge complementarity affect value capture, which is a comprehensive concept containing tangible and intangible value in an NPD project. To fill this gap, this research draws on resource dependence theory to examine how and when project-generic and project-specific knowledge complementarities affect value capture through the use of non-coercive power in an NPD project. The results demonstrate that the use of non-coercive power plays a positive mediating role. Furthermore, project-specific knowledge complementarity significantly impacts the use of non-coercive power more than project-generic knowledge complementarity in an NPD project. However, as project complexity increases, project-generic knowledge complementarity has a more positive impact on the use of non-coercive power in the project. This research contributes to value capture literature by extending knowledge complementarity to the project level and exploring the critical role of non-coercive power use in comprehensive value capture in an NPD project.