Information technology, network structure, and competitive action

摘要

This study focuses on two antecedents of competitive behavior of firms: 1.Access to network resources, and 2.Use of information technology (IT). It is argued that while network structure provides firms with the opportunity to tap into external resources, the extent to which they are actually exploited depends on firms' IT-enabled capability. The authors develop a theoretical model that examines the relationships between IT-enabled capability, network structure, and competitive action. It is found that network structure rich in structural holes has a positive direct effect on firms' ability to introduce a greater number and a wider range of competitive actions. However, the effect of dense network structure is contingent on firms' IT-enabled capability.