17.1.2012: Dissertation: Knowledge sharing is a tool for control in strategic alliances

Strategic alliances have become a centre-piece of modern contemporary corporate strategy where knowledge sharing is an important dynamic of inter-firm alliance formation. Khalid M. Bhatti examines in his doctoral dissertation in at Hanken School of Economics the multi-faceted factors behind knowledge sharing and how they influence inter-firm control behaviour. As a case Bhatti examined knowledge sharing between STMicroelectronics, one of the global leaders in semiconductors, and its alliance partners Nokia, Ericsson and IBM.

Bhatti's study underlines that as contracts are incomplete, strategic alliance partners are therefore required to maintain mutual dependence based control mechanisms in addition to a contract. For example, companies create control mechanisms through contract or by building an ownership structure between the parties. However, Bhatti also finds that inter-firm control is exercised through inter-firm knowledge sharing. In effect, sharing knowledge thus deepens the mutual dependence and the relationship between the parties, thus lowering uncertainty and deficiency of resources.

Khalid M. Bhatti's doctoral dissertation " Factors affecting knowledge sharing in strategic alliances- The role of knowledge sharing as strategic control behavior among multinational enterprises" will be publicly reviewed at Hanken School of Economics in Vaasa.

Date: Thursday, 19 January at noon
Venue: Hanken School of Economics, Vaasa
Opponent: Professor Amjad Hadjikhani, Uppsala University
Custos: Professor Sören Kock, Hanken School of Economics

Further information:
Khalid M. Bhatti
kbhatti@hanken.fi
+358-(0)40 7602503

The complete doctoral dissertation is available online at the Hanken Library database DHanken.