New inter-organizational knowledge tie formation after firm relocation: Investigating the impact of spatial, relational, and temporal context
研究了企业搬迁后，空间、关系和时间背景如何影响其与新伙伴建立知识联系，发现持续知识联系数量和搬迁后时间会阻碍新联系形成，企业会迅速弥补知识不足。
To what extent does the relocation of a firm affect the formation of new knowledge ties with new partners in a subsequent period? This study aims at answering this question. It assesses empirically to what extent the spatial and temporal context of relocation and the relational context of a focal firm affect new knowledge tie formation with new partners in the post-relocation phase. Based on a sample of 83 relocated firms operating in the sector of architecture and engineering consultancy in the Netherlands, the results show that both the number of continued knowledge ties of firms and the time passed after relocation hamper the formation of new knowledge ties. These findings point out that firms are well aware of their knowledge deficits and consequently act quickly to compensate for it after relocation. Therefore, policy makers should target to facilitate knowledge sharing practices particularly for small firms in the post-relocation period.