The Mediating Effect of the Cooperative Business Structure of a Platform Leader

This research examines the role of the cooperative business structure in influencing new product development performance of complementors. I also studies how several factors relating to integrative new product(complement) development processes affect the cooperative business structure and, through this bond, influence new complement development performance. The findings, based on a sample of 103 companies, prove that the cooperative business structure indeed enhances the performance of the new complement developed by a complementor. Traditional group factors such as location of R&D centers, cross-functional collaboration and richness of overseas information acquisition mechanism play the roles in influencing both the cooperative business structure and new complement performance. Finally, the cooperative business structure is mediating on the relationship between new complement development performance and its antecedents.