SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY FOR NASCENT FIRMS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY MARKETS

The extant literature provides sound guidance for applying appropriate supply chain strategies to address conventional market structures and supply chain objectives. However, our knowledge of the unique objectives, characteristics, and elements of supply chain development by nascent technology firms in new markets they have helped create is more limited. We outline the strategy for this “emergent” phase of a firm's development of their supply chain. This strategy emphasizes establishing market legitimacy and a basic structural foundation through a core of strong collaborative relationships. The strategy also maximizes organizational flexibility and iterative market intelligence gathering through continuous experimentation with potential markets and through potential partners. The strategy is contrasted with extant supply chain strategies and implications and directions for future research are offered.