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of resources Advantech needed to respond to the constraints. We also examined the timing
and situation in which Advantech interacted with Kontron’s low-power and high-power
partners. Focusing on the process by which Advantech constructed symbolic meanings of
resources, we considered the change of power dynamics among Advantech, Kontron, and
their partners as the outcome of bricolage.
Two episodes illustrate how Advantech inversed its power position by recognizing
opportunities in the strengths of high-power player actor, constructing resources with high-
power players’ partners and redefining the rule of the competition. The first episode shows
how Advantech established partnerships with Kontron’s local dealers by amplifying the
dealers’ sense of crisis. Kontron’s aggressive approach to its customer relationships
marginalized its local distributors and even threatened their survival. To approach the local
distributors, Advantech first made them aware of their dire position with Kontron and then
offered to establish joint-venture alliance with them to gain resources that it would not have
otherwise. The joint-venture partnership was mutually beneficial to Advantech and the local
distributors. Advantech built its distribution network in the least possible amount of time and
lowest possible cost, and local distributors survived in the market by selling Advantech’s
products to mid-tier state-owned enterprises (SOEs) without appearing to be disloyal to
Kontron. Consequently, Advantech was able to inverse its power position by redefining new
rules of competition with Kontron so that the competition was no longer based on providing
industrial computing technology for top-tier clients but on serving mid-tier customers and
using network resources in China.
The second episode illustrates how Advantech exploited service disruption experienced
by Kontron’ customers and constructed resources to win over those customers. Kontron’s
stringent approach to technological maintenance and service caused its mid-tier SOE
customers severe operational disruption and inconvenience. Once again, Advantech saw
Kontron’s aggressiveness in technological maintenance and customer service as its weakness
and intended to win over those of customers. Advantech first provided them on-site
engineering service, helping them with procurement, and then customized technology
specification in “quasi-military standards” so that customers could mix and match different
technology standards according to their operations. As Kontron focused most of its attention
on top-tier customers instead of on SOE customers, Advantech made these SOE customers
its privileged customers and helped them with maintenance and procurement. Advantech
redefined the context of the competition, which was no longer based on rigorous
technological solutions but on customized services. Advantech also developed a new market