Technological adaptation to a platform and dependence: value co-creation through partnerships

This article examines technology exchange mechanisms in technological platform partnerships between software and hardware firms. Such firms form complementary partnerships to develop innovative technological products in the mobile telephony sector. Data were collected from 110 high-tech firms which have formed technological platform partnerships, and analyzed data, by using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results show that a focal firm’s technological complexity and technological adaptation to its partner’s platform increase its dependence on a partner, which in turn positively affects value co-creation in such partnerships. Complementary technological collaboration through adaptation-dependence between technological partners helps resolve knowledge accessibility and technological integration for value co-creation and innovation between heterogeneous partners from different high-tech industries. This study provides a clue as to how technological partners co-create value in the high-tech industry.