Informal information trading between firms can boost innovation and collaboration while risking leakage. This book explains how employees share technical know-how across company lines and when such exchanges serve a firm's interests. It draws on a detailed study of the U.S. specialty steel and mini-mill industry and shows how reciprocity, trust, and strategic context shape these informal transfers.
The work frames information transfer as either leakage or trading, then develops a model of when trading can be economically advantageous. It explains why firms might support informal exchanges, how costs and benefits are assessed, and what factors increase or reduce the likelihood of a transfer. The analysis highlights that informal trading can outperform formal transfer when transaction costs are high and when information provides incremental improvements rather than dramatic breakthroughs.
- How informal exchanges occur through personal networks and cross-firm contacts.
- Conditions under which information trading can improve a firm's competitive position.
- Factors that influence a transfer decision, such as perceived strategic value and available alternatives.
- Practical implications for managing boundaries, incentives, and decision-making in technical teams.
Ideal for readers interested in how firms balance openness and protection to foster innovation and maintain competitive edges.