Executive antecedents of interfirm cooperation

Much of the present research and theory on cooperation is devoid of the effects of the individual actors. Although previous research recognizes the vital role of key managers in regard to cooperation, there is limited research on executive-related antecedents of interfirm cooperation. This manuscript extends our understanding of cooperative outcomes by theorizing how executive characteristics and social forces may impact an executive's cooperative behavior. We develop a model that encompasses executive personality, cooperative tendencies, cultural distance, trust, and justice perceptions in addition to their implications for interfirm cooperation outcomes. Specifically, we extend socio-analytic theory to an interfirm context. Furthermore, we integrate theories of exchange and attraction to discuss how social forces moderate the relationship between cooperative tendencies and cooperative outcomes.