By Matthew B. Myers

Knowledge sharing between supply chain partners has more upsides than downsides, provided that the right kind of knowledge goes back and forth.
In global supply chains, managers consistently have struggled with sharing valuable knowledge with buyers and suppliers across borders. Both buyers and suppliers agree that sharing knowledge among supply chain partners will create more efficient supply chains and more effective organizations, leading to higher quality outputs and enhanced customer satisfaction. However, some managers think that knowledge sharing with supply chain partners has a "dark side" that can outweigh the benefits. Individual companies tend to be wary of getting too close to one another for fear of losing control, compromising trade secrets, proprietary information, and even losing revenue and competitive edge. It may even lock firms into unproductive relationships or preclude partnering with other viable firms. In this way, a firm's collaborative relationships with its supply chain partners can become a source of both opportunities and constraints.
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