Knowledge connectivity in an adverse context: global value chains and Pakistani offshore service providers

Sinkovics, N. , Choksy, U. S., Sinkovics, R. R. and Mudambi, R. (2019) Knowledge connectivity in an adverse context: global value chains and Pakistani offshore service providers. Management International Review, 59(1), pp. 131-170. (doi: 10.1007/s11575-018-0372-0)

Abstract

This paper contributes to theory building efforts around the concept of knowledge connectivity and its relevance in buyer-supplier relationships in global value chains. We use the Pakistani IT industry as our study context. Pakistan suffered a significant adverse perception bias following terror attacks in 2008-09. We based our illustration on the experiences of 12 Pakistani offshore service providers (OSPs) who succeeded in offsetting the negative implications of the country’s adverse political environment. The case firms link into two distinct value chain configurations. In each configuration, we observe a distinct course of strategic action, which we term step-up and break-out, respectively. While these observations emerged from the Pakistani context, the implications of the resulting dynamic framework for theory and practice go beyond this particular adverse country setting.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Financial support was received from the University of Manchester 2014 ESRC Impact Acceleration Account [ES/M500392/1] and the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) Lord Alliance strategic research investment fund [LA-SRIF AA14179].
• Keywords: Global value chains, connectivity, adverse context, practices, supplier strategies, global sourcing, economic geography, comfort zone, catch-up.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sinkovics, Professor Rudolf and Sinkovics, Dr Noemi
• Authors: Sinkovics, N., Choksy, U. S., Sinkovics, R. R., and Mudambi, R.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Management International Review
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 0938-8249
• ISSN (Online): 1861-8901
• Published Online: 11 February 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Management International Review 59(1): 131-170
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License