Embeddedness and networking as drivers in developing an international joint venture

In this article we regard embeddedness in relationship networks as a key issue in the development of an international joint venture (IJV). We look at IJVs from a perspective which highlights the role of network relationships and of networking behaviour. This perspective suggests that the development of an IJV is not a dyadic or an organisation-level process, but is rather a process embedded in extensive networks of relationships and driven by individual-level action for relationship-building. We elaborate on this network action perspective to IJVs by reference to a longitudinal case study of the 12-year development process of a greenfield equity IJV. In interpreting the findings we suggest convincing, compromising, resourcing, internal organising and legitimising as the behaviours associated with the changing of the relational embeddedness and the developing of the IJV.