Case study investigations

Abstract

Chapter 5 presents the empirical investigations. After derving the working propositions, I conducted case studies to test the outlined preliminary conceptual model as well as the underlying propositions. The aim of the empirical testing is to revise this model and the propositions and to base my results on a solid data base. Therefore, I give a brief outline of the case study design as it is deployed for this work, then provide a depiction of the selected collaborative projects, and briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the selected setting (5.1). As the case study partners operate in the automotive industry, I provide an overview of industry-specific trends with special regard to the focus of this thesis. The major trends in the automotive industry driving companies to collaborate along and across the value chain are indicated (5.2). The chapter closes with a synopsis of the three companies and points out their interrelatedness as well as former cooperative projects (5.3).