A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Customer knowledge sharing in cross-border mergers and acquisitions: The role of customer motivation and promise management




AuthorsDegbey William Y., Pelto Elina

PublisherElsevier

Publication year2021

JournalJournal of International Management

Volume27

Issue4

eISSN1873-0620

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2021.100858(external)

Web address https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2021.100858(external)

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/56626777(external)


Abstract

Knowledge
is a vital source of competitive advantage and renewal for contemporary
organizations. However, to date, few studies have scrutinized how mergers and
acquisitions (M&As)—processes dependent on knowledge sharing—offer a
valuable inter-organizational context through which to understand the attainment
of customer knowledge sharing following M&As. Applying an integrated
theoretical perspective from customer relationship management and M&A
performance research, we study a Chinese–Finnish acquisition and customer firms
of the acquired party across four advanced Western countries. We find that
customer knowledge sharing is an active relationship management process that relies
on the factors of customer dedication-based motivation vs. customer concerns
about M&As to maintain relationships after acquisitions. In addition, and
more importantly, we find that the promise management mechanisms—making
promises, enabling promises, and keeping promises—of the M&A parties reinforce
the motivational factors to maintain customer knowledge sharing in cross-border
M&As. We propose a conceptual framework of customer knowledge sharing in cross-border
M&As.


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Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 14:38