This paper aims to show how opportunistic behavior can be a determining factor in the failure of interorganizational relationships. On the theoretical side, the destructive nature of opportunistic behavior might disrupt the partnership agreements and may terminate the exchange relationship between the partners. The application of this proposition to the case of interorganizational relationship between Moroccan SMEs allows the authors to build a conceptual model specific to the Moroccan context and make 13 research proposals. Discussion of the results reveals the specific forms of opportunism under the Moroccan context, identifying its antecedents and validating research proposals. In addition, we conducted an empirical study based on a qualitative method with 40 SMEs. All data collected was analyzed using thematic content analysis. It appears that each history weakens interorganizational relationships and triggers a specific form of opportunism.

The survival and performance of any organization depends on its interorganizational relationships with other partners, and the promotion of these ‘interconnections’ between organizations is an important factor in opening new promising horizons (Huanrong, 2007). Moreover, in recent years, the global top 500 companies have invested more than 60% of their efforts in interorganizational relationships (Ranaei et al., 2010). Indeed, more than ever in history, today interorganizational relationships have become the main feature of the business world (Bachmann and Witteloostuijn, 2006), essential elements in the economic life of organizations (Hasrouri, 2007), and a major source of value creation (Aurelia et al., 2006).

Identified among the main determinants of the failure of partnership agreements, opportunistic behavior disrupts the exchange relationship and reduces trust between the contracting parties (Milgrom and Roberts, 1997; and Quelin, 2002). The destructive nature of opportunistic behavior may terminate the exchange relationship between the partners. According to Williamson (1985), opportunistic behavior is the “pursuit of self-interest with guile, including, but not limited to, the most blatant forms of lying, stealing, cheating, etc. More generally, opportunism refers to the disclosure of incomplete or distorted information and every effort calculated to mislead, misinform, disguise, obscure, or otherwise confuse.

Knowledge Management Journal, Antecedents, Forms of Opportunism, Interorganizational Relationships, Moroccan SMEs, Frequency of Transaction, The Moroccan Context.