Development of Intercompany Cooperation Models in Russian Industrial Markets: Case of Innovative Business

Abstract

The paper discusses intercompany cooperation, with particular attention to the innovative business. Initially partnerships are understood as an element of company's relational resources. External relations are selected from the whole set of partnerships; we analyze their influence on the competitiveness of a firm. Various forms of partnerships could be found within industrial markets, and generally they are very flexible. Besides traditionally defined market and hierarchical mechanisms, there are some hybrid schemes. The article shows that these hybrid schemes act as a form of so-called «quasi-integration» between companies, which enables them to obtain certain advantages of integrated structures and retain their legal entity status. According to our hypothesis, cooperation model choice is dictated by several factors, including company's characteristics, market structure, and the specificity of assets. Also, we analyze partnership relations of businesses that are included in the national rating «TechUspech», as well as the cooperation between a few small and medium-size innovative companies in Siberia. The study results have revealed that firms related to the knowledge economy and those dealing with oil and gas sector use complex hybrid schemes of quasi-integrative cooperation with a wide range of partners being involved. Despite the widely acknowledged importance of partnership for innovative companies, in most cases, this kind of relations develops spontaneously. Regular partner relationship management does not exist yet. Many innovative companies consider large domestic and foreign corporations as reliable main partners; therefore, these agents play a significant role in the innovative economy.