The Institutional Context and Manufacturing Performance: The Case of the U.S. Defense Industrial Network / Maryellen R. Kelley, Cynthia R. Cook.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kelley, Maryellen R.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Cook, Cynthia R.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w6460.

NBER working paper series no. w6460

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Business networks--United States.

Business networks.

Defense industries--Technological innovations.

Defense industries.

Defense industries--Technological innovations--United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

The Institutional Context and Manufacturing Performance

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 1998.

Cambridge, MA : National Bureau of Economic Research, 1998.

Summary:

U.S. manufacturing firms that make sophisticated weapons systems for the Pentagon are subject to an unusual regulatory regime that obligates them to volunteer' information on their business practices to the government and to prime contractors as a condition of their special relationship with the government. Within this organizational community information sharing with and assistance to other firms have come to be viewed as an ordinary obligation - i.e., a condition of citizenship. This cooperative learning environment is indicative of a collaborative manufacturing network that enables member organizations to learn quickly about relevant process technology innovations and to implement them effectively. We find that defense contractors learn about information technology applications more quickly than enterprises outside the network. Moreover, learning advantages are not confined to transactions specific to the Pentagon, but benefit the non-military operations of the networked enterprises as well.

Notes:

Print version record

March 1998.