Collaboration and co-production in the Singapore film industry: opportunities for development through strategic alliances
Wong, Caroline (2011) Collaboration and co-production in the Singapore film industry: opportunities for development through strategic alliances. Journal of Competence-Based Strategic Management, 5. pp. 29-48.
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Abstract
This paper examines the significance of intangible competencies as core competences that are likely to contribute most in the film industry. It adopts a dynamic capabilities-based approach to management development, which goes beyond the competence-based approach. It identifies the nature and role of intangible competencies which are mainly knowledge-based such as creativity, experience and reputation and how these could be brokered through coproduction and collaboration with foreign film companies. These competencies are likely to contribute most in an uncertain, changing and unpredictable environment such as the film industry. The objective of this paper is to examine the ways in which coproduction is adopted in the Singapore Film industry as a strategy for local firms to gain benefits of international firms’ tacit knowledge and ideas and to build on accumulated memories and experiences. This approach is viewed as a way to ride on the competences and successes of the well established firm and hence gained status in the process. This paper argues that while co-production and strategic partnerships may generate valuable learning opportunities for firms to gain access to the knowledge-based resources of their partners, they do not necessarily generate equal rewards and benefits for all parties concerned. It can be a zero-sum game in which failure to gain access to partner knowledge results in unequal benefits accruing from such alliances. Such a paradox presents enormous challenges for an emerging Singapore film industry trying to break into the global circuit.