Improved methodological tools for evaluation of interfirm interaction efficiency in the context of digitalization

Abstract

The development of efficient interfirm interactions for the sustainable development of particular business entities and their strategic structures calls for special tools and management methods in the context of economy’s digitalization driven by a wider openness of economic systems and more extensive network development. This determines the demand for a methodology designed to evaluate the interfirm interactions to improve their efficiency under the digital transformation of the social and economic system. The purpose of the study is to develop methodological tools to measure the efficiency of the interfirm interactions, and these tools can be derived from identifying and analyzing the factors contributing into the result-focused exploitation of the information communication technologies. The authors hypothesize that a model of efficient interfirm interactions is defined by its three components: interaction strategy; availability of the resources for interfirm interactions (information communication technologies); resource management. The article analyzes evaluation approaches to interfirm interactions to identify a number of shared features and to systematize efficiency factors. The heads of the industrial enterprises were surveyed, and the motivation factors for the business entities to develop their interfirm interactions were defined: 1) lower risks of contracting liabilities; 2) better coordination of entities’ activities. A multi-factor model of digitalization factors which affect the efficiency of interfirm interactions is developed. This model complements theoretical methods which describe the impact of digital technologies on the relationships between firms and will contribute into their sustainable economic development. A matrix of firms’ strategy types has been derived from their exploitation of information communication technologies. It describes the strategies of involvement, awareness, monitoring, and integration. The authors came to conclusion that the development of the information communication resources is turned out to be fundamental for the integration and the key factor to shape and to develop the efficient interfirm interactions in modern economy. A further research is seen to be in developing a tool and algorithm based approach to examine the behavioral strategies for the business entities so that to define their status in the interfirm interactions and to develop measures aimed to increase the efficiency of interfirm interactions with regard to forecasted digitalization.

Keywords

interfirm interactions, digitalization, digital economy, information and communication technologies, information networks, performance evaluation, integration processes, development strategies

For citation

Popov E.V., Simonova V.L., Tikhonova A.D. Improved methodological tools for evaluation of interfirm interaction efficiency in the context of digitalization. Perm University Herald. Economy, 2021, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 276–290. DOI 10.17072/1994-9960-2021-3-276-290

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by RFFI under the scientific project No. 20-010-00333.

References

1. Donthu N., Gustafsson A. Effects of COVID-19 on business and research. Journal of Business Research, 2020, vol. 117, pp. 284–289. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.008.
2. Akberdina V.V. Transformatsiya promyshlennogo kompleksa Rossii v usloviyakh tsifrovizatsii ekonomiki [The transformation of the Russian industrial complex under digitalization]. Izvestiya Ural'skogo gosudarstvennogo ekonomicheskogo universiteta [Journal of New Economy], 2018, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 82−99. (In Russian). doi: 10.29141/2073-1019-2018-19-3-8.
3. Balatskii E.V., Ekimova N.A. Innovatsionno-tekhnologicheskie matritsy i natsional'nye strategii ekonomicheskogo razvitiya [Innovation-technology matrices and national economic development strategies]. Upravlenets [The Manager], 2019, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 9–19. (In Russian). doi: 10.29141/2218-5003-2019-10-5-2.
4. Song W. Regionalization, inter-regional cooperation and global governance. Asia Europe Journal, 2007, vol. 5, iss. 1, pp. 67–82. doi: 10.1007/s10308-006-0094-y.
5. Nikulina I.E., Burets Yu.S. Formirovanie mezhregional'nogo vzaimodeistviya v sfere innovatsionnoi deyatel'nosti na osnove diagnostiki razryvov innovatsionnogo protsessa [Formation of interregional innovation cooperation based on diagnostic of innovation process breaks]. Ekonomika i predprinimatel'stvo [Journal of Economy and Entrepreneurship], 2016, no. 12-(77), pp. 346–349. (In Russian).
6. Popova Yu.F. Kapital mezhfirmennykh otnoshenii: ponyatie i metodologiya izmereniya [Capital of interfirm relationships: The concept and evaluation methodology]. Upravlenets [The Manager], 2017, no. 4 (68), pp. 32–38. (In Russian).
7. Bagiev L.G. Kontseptual'nye osnovy formirovaniya marketinga vzaimodeistviya v usloviyakh razvitiya rynochnykh setei [Conceptual foundations of formation of interaction marketing in the context of market nets development]. Problemy sovremennoi ekonomiki [Problems of Modern Economics], 2009, no. 4, pp. 271–275. (In Russian).
8. Dobryshevskaya L.N., Kucheruk V.A. Otsenka effektivnosti setevogo vzaimodeistviya kompanii v regione [Evaluation of efficiency of the interfirm network interactions in the region]. Terra Economicus, 2012, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 104–109. (In Russian).
9. Cainelli G., Montresor S., Marzetti G. Production and financial linkages in inter-firm networks: Structural variety, risk-sharing and resilience. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 2012, vol. 22, pp. 711–734. doi: 10.1007/s00191-012-0280-6.
10. Cox B., Koelzer W. Email marketing? Internet Marketing, 2004, pp. 229–245.
11. Ford D., Gadde L., Hakansson H. Managing Business Relationships. Wiley, Chichester, UK, 1998. 252 p.
12. Mizyakina O.B. Mezhdistsiplinarnyi podkhod k analizu setevykh struktur [Interdisciplinary approach to analysis of network structures]. Rossiiskoe predprinimatel'stvo [Russian Entrepreneurship], 2013, no. 12, pp. 4–12. (In Russian).
13. Markov M.M. Sovremennoe predprinimatel'stvo kak kooperatsiya krupnykh, srednikh i malykh predpriyatii [Modern entrepreneurship as a cooperation of large, middle-sized and small-sized companies]. Problemy sovremennoi ekonomiki [Problems of Modern Economics], 2007, no. 2 (22), pp. 160–164. (In Russian).
14. Lapshin P.P., Khachaturov A.E. Sinergeticheskii effekt pri sliyaniyakh i pogloshcheniyakh kompanii [Synergetic effect in company mergers and takeovers]. Menedzhment v Rossii i za rubezhom [Management in Russia and Abroad Journal], 2005, no. 2, pp. 21–30. (In Russian).
15. Kostousenko A.I. Protsess izmereniya effektivnosti vzaimodeistviya predprinimatel'skikh struktur [Process of measuring the efficiency of interactions between entrepreneurial bodies]. Problemy sovremennoi ekonomiki [Problems of Modern Economics], 2009, no. 2 (30). (In Russian). Available at: http://www.m-economy.ru/art.php?nArtId=2584 (accessed 17.12.2019).
16. Ishchenko S.M. Formy proyavleniya effekta sinergii ot sliyaniya i pogloshcheniya kompanii [Synergy manifestations from company mergers and takeovers]. Korporativnoe upravlenie i innovatsionnoe razvitie Severa: Vestnik Nauchno-issledovatel'skogo tsentra korporativnogo prava, upravleniya i venchurnogo investirovaniya Syktyvkarskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Corporate Governance and Innovative Economic Development of the North. Bulletin of Research Center of Corporate Law, Management and Venture Investment of Syktyvkar State University]. (In Russian). Available at: http://koet.syktsu.ru/vestnik/2008/2008-3/6/6.htm (accessed 17.12.2019).
17. Williamson O.E. Ekonomicheskie instituty kapitalizma: firmy, rynki, otnoshencheskaya kontraktatsiya [The economic institutions of capitalism: Firms, markets, relationship contracting]. Saint Petersburg, Lenizdat Publ., 1996. 702 p. (In Russian).
18. Nikolaidis Y., Fouskas K., Carayannis E.G. Assisting regional policy by rapidly comparing enterprise innovation between regions. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2013, vol. 2. doi: 10.1186/2192-5372-2-16.
19. Welfens P.J.J., Perret J.K. Information & communication technology and true real GDP: Economic analysis and findings for selected countries. International Economics and Economic Policy, 2014, vol. 11, pp. 5–27. doi: 10.1007/s10368-013-0261-8.
20. Anderson J.C., Narus J.A. Business marketing: Understand what customers value. Harvard Business Review, 1998, vol. 33 (3), pp. 95–114.
21. Hakansson H. Evolution processes in industrial networks: A new view of reality. London, Routledge, 1992.
22. Mohr J., Spekman R. Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques. Strategic Management Journal, 1994, vol. 15 (2), pp. 135–152.
23. Yvstafyev N.V. Mekhanizm ustoichivogo vzaimodeistviya firm v protsesse sovmestnoi deyatel'nosti [Steady firm interaction mechanism in a process of cooperation]. Uchenye zapiski Kazanskogo universiteta. Seriya: Gumanitarnye nauki [Proceedings of Kazan University. Humanities Series], 2005, vol. 147, no. 3, pp. 72–81. (In Russian). doi: 10.26907/2541-7738.
24. Morgan R., Hunt D. Teoriya priverzhennosti i doveriya v marketinge vzaimootnoshenii [The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing]. Rossiiskii zhurnal menedzhmenta [Russian Management Journal], 2004, no. 2, pp. 73–110. (In Russian).
25. Tripuzov M.G. K voprosu o sushchnosti kategorii «potentsial» [About a substantial category of potential]. Novaya nauka: Strategii i vektory razvitiya [New Science: Strategies and Development Areas], 2016, no. 9, pp. 217–220. (In Russian).
26. Popov E.V., Simonova V.L., Tikhonova A.D. Vliyanie tsifrovykh tekhnologii na koordinatsiyu i snizhenie riskov mezhfirmennykh vzaimodeistvii [The impact of digital technologies on the coordination and risk reduction of intercompany interactions]. Kreativnaya ekonomika [Creative Economy], 2021, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 2399–2412. (In Russian). doi: 10.18334/ce.15.6.112200.

Show full text