This research investigates the antecedents and consequences of relational capabilities in the context of strategic alliance projects between MNE subsidiaries and local suppliers in the Thai manufacturing sector. The need to understand the relational capabilities approach is recognised in management literature, especially the ambiguous effects of the relational and economic dimensions, on relational capabilities in cross-cultural alliance projects. In particular, academics have highlighted the importance of relational capabilities, trust and transaction cost factors in that they play important roles in determining alliance success, especially in the context of cross-cultural alliances. A theoretical framework is developed which, first, explores the antecedents and barriers of relational capabilities and second, examines the multiple mediation effect of these on the link between inter-organizational conditions and alliance performance. The research design is aligned with quantitative methodology. The theoretical frameworks were tested using the data obtained from 156 strategic alliance projects between MNE subsidiaries and local suppliers in the Thai manufacturing sector with hierarchical regression analysis and the bootstrapping technique. The empirical results indicate that inter-personal trust, inter-organizational trust and asset specificity are antecedents of relational capabilities, while HR distance between alliance partners is not a barrier of these capabilities. Moreover, the empirical outcomes in relation to the indirect effect of the relational and economic dimensions on alliance performance through knowledge sharing routines and complementary capability are supported. However, the remaining hypotheses pertaining to the expectation that effective governance mechanisms are mediators on those relationships are rejected. This is explained by the fact that trust-based relationships are so deeply embedded in the Thai manufacturing sector that they predominate over such mechanisms. The contribution of this research is twofold: first, in terms of academic advancement, it combines the arguments of trust and TCE to provide a holistic view in explaining antecedents and consequences of relational capabilities. Second, in terms of practical contribution, it improves the understanding of practitioners both purchasing managers of MNE subsidiaries and sales managers, regarding the alignment of trust and asset specificity with relational capabilities to achieve better performance in cross-cultural strategic alliance projects.

La présente thèse propose une réflexion sur les valeurs du travail à partir de l’œuvre de Martha C. Nussbaum, de sa conception des capacités, de la vie bonne et de la justice. Nous y définissions la valeur du travail en fonction de ses effets sur les capacités du travailleur et des autres partie-prenantes. Penser les valeurs du travail à partir des capacités relationnelles permet de rendre compte de dimensions essentielles que le travail permet de développer et que chaque être humain valorise : le respect de soi, la qualité des relations inter-personnelles ou les interactions positives avec le milieu naturel et culturel, de façon à préserver le bien vivre aujourd’hui et demain. Nous éclairons ainsi les enjeux et des finalités du bien vivre au travail, en s’appuyant sur une anthropologie et une éthique relationnelles inspirées d’Aristote et de Kant. Suivant cette approche, le travail s’inscrit aussi dans un cadre institutionnel qui vise à garantir à tous l’accès aux capacités, et en particulier à ceux qui en sont exclus.En contrepoint des approches purement instrumentales de la valeur du travail, d’inspiration utilitariste et néoclassique, cette conception des valeurs du travail est centrée ses finalités, en termes de fonctionnements humains et de vie bonne, à une échelle individuelle et collective.La portée pratique de cette recherche consiste à mettre en évidence les tensions dont le travail contemporain est l’objet et à proposer une démarche pour évaluer, de façon plus juste, les capacités des êtres humains qui y sont engagées. Elle ouvre ainsi la voie à une réflexion pour des acteurs économiques – équipes, entrepreneurs, investisseurs - qui souhaiteraient s’inspirer du cadre proposé pour faire évoluer leurs pratiques et leurs modèles économiques, en promouvant une économie qui serait davantage attentive à la qualité relationnelle entre les parties prenantes. / This thesis proposes a reflection on the values of work based on the work of Martha C. Nussbaum, her conception of capabilities, good life and justice. We defined the value of work in terms of its effects on the abilities of the worker and other stakeholders. Defining work values based on relational capacities makes it possible to account for essential dimensions that work allows to develop and that each human being values: self-respect, the quality of interpersonal relations or positive interactions with the natural and cultural environment, so as to preserve the good life today and tomorrow. In this way, we shed light on the challenges and aims of good working life, based on an anthropology and relational ethics inspired by Aristotle and Kant. Following this approach, the work is also part of an institutional framework that aims to guarantee access to capacities for all, and in particular for those excluded from them.As a counterpoint to purely instrumental approaches to the value of work, utilitarian and neoclassical in inspiration, this conception of work values is centred on its aims, in terms of human functioning and good life, on an individual and collective scale.The practical scope of this research consists in highlighting the tensions to which contemporary work is subjected and in proposing an approach to evaluate, in a more accurate way, the capacities of the human beings who are committed to it. It thus opens the way to reflection for economic players - teams, entrepreneurs, investors - who would like to draw inspiration from the proposed framework to change their business practices and models, by promoting an economy that would be more attentive to the quality of relationships between stakeholders.