Matheus, Thomas (2011) An investigation into how different dimensions of power influence knowledge integration throughout innovation processes in aerospace supply chains. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how different dimensions of power influence knowledge integration throughout innovation processes in aerospace supply chains. The existing literature covering innovation in supply chain contexts has mainly focused on the resource-based view of power, on individual levels of analysis and has, to some extent, treated knowledge as something that appears to be easily transferrable, both within and across firms. Furthermore, various facets of power have been treated in isolation rather than in an inter-related fashion. The relationship between power and knowledge integration has also hardly been established in supply chain contexts.
These are important issues that need to be addressed because knowledge is dispersed throughout supply chains in the aerospace industry and has to be drawn together to enable the development of existing and new products. Furthermore, different dimensions of power are recursively intertwined, and most management problems involve multi-level phenomena. Innovation and knowledge integration are also socially mediated and highly politicised processes, which are shaped and owned by internal and external stakeholders who periodically form part of these processes.
This under-researched area will be addressed in this study by adopting a multi-dimensional framework of power, by examining multiple levels of interactions (the inter-organisational, intra-organisational, and intra-project levels) in supply chains and by acknowledging the politics of innovation and knowledge integration processes.
The objectives of this study were achieved by building theory based on four case studies. Each case study is made up of one original equipment manufacturer and one or two suppliers who work together along the innovation process. 10 organisations formed part of this study. Data were collected through 67 semi-structured interviews and documents. The data were then analysed by using template and matrix analysis.
The result of this study is a configurational view at three different levels of analysis that highlights generative and degenerative effects of different dimensions of power on knowledge integration. In total, 23 power/knowledge integration configurations were identified; seven at the inter-organisational level of analysis, ten at the intra-project level, and six at the intra-organisational level. Furthermore, a comparison of power/knowledge integration configurations across analysis levels is provided. This was used to identify commonalities and differences of configurations across analysis levels.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Business logistics, Aerospace industries -- Technological innovations, Knowledge management
Official Date:	September 2011
Dates:	Date Event September 2011 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Swan, Jacky; Scarbrough, Harry, 1955-
Extent:	xiv, 493 leaves
Language:	eng

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