Contextualizing the relationship between self-commitment and performance: Environmental and behavioural uncertainty in (cross-border) alliances of SMEs

Abstract

Cooperation based on self-commitment of the partners is relevant for successful alliances in the context of uncertainty. However, the performance impact of self-commitment can be contingent on the type of uncertainty. Based on the distinction between environmental uncertainty and behavioural uncertainty, we analyse the contingent effect of cooperation based on self-commitment in national and international alliances with focal companies from both market economies and transition economies (n = 181). Our analysis reveals that cooperation based on self-commitment has a positive relationship with performance when the focal company is from a transition economy, irrespective of whether it is engaged in a national or an international alliance. We conclude that the performance effect of cooperation based on self-commitment is contingent upon the geographic origin of the focal company.

Keywords:

• alliance
• behavioural uncertainty
• environmental uncertainty
• international entrepreneurship
• performance
• self-commitment