Interorganizational adaptation, interorganizational strategies, and firm performance Firms are facing hypercompetitive environments where making adjustments is a crucial challenge for top managers. An unprecedented number of organizations are forming interorganizational relationships in order meet this challenge. This dissertation investigates adaptive interorganizational adjustments and interorganizational strategies. Based on an extensive literature review of adaptation theory, research hypotheses related to these central concepts are developed and tested. In order to gather data, a questionnaire was constructed and sent to over 1,100 Chief Executive Officers in the aerospace, biotechnology & pharmaceutical, and electronic component industries. After the completed surveys were statistically analyzed, in-depth interviews about interorganizational relationships were conducted with Chief Executive Officers and later transcribed and reviewed. The results of this dissertation indicate that top managers make intentional interorganizational adjustments, that the level of firm organizational adjustment is significantly related to the level of firm interorganizational adjustment, and that hierarchical interorganizational strategies provide greater flexibility than market-like strategies. This dissertation also finds that the firm's level of interorganizational adjustment is significantly related to financial performance. This dissertation makes a significant contribution to both strategic management and organizational theory because it provides rare empirical research findings on interorganizational relationships. By demonstrating that a hierarchy of interorganizational adjustment exists, it supports the disputed contention that top managers pursue coherent interorganizational strategies. By finding a significant relationship between interorganizational adjustment and firm performance, it implies that interorganizational flexibility creates competitive advantage. Finally, it seriously challenges the popular belief that market-like interorganizational strategies increase the adaptive capacity or flexibility of firms. [TABLE="class: citation"] [TR] [TH]Format:[/TH] [TD]Dissertation[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Author(s):[/TH] [TD]Heppard, Kurt Allen[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Published:[/TH] [TD]1998[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Language:[/TH] [TD]English[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]