Creating a Better World via Cross-Sectoral Collaborations

Abstract

Despite the widely-acknowledged potential of cross-sectoral partnerships to solve complex social issues, the process of cross-sectoral collaborations is saturated with conflicts and tensions. Researchers have investigated the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of cross-sectoral collaborations with different theoretical frameworks and primary foci. In this panel symposium, the panelists will present five theoretical perspectives, explore the conceptualization of theoretical boundaries, and discuss how to produce knowledge by spanning theoretical fields. The perspectives to be presented include (1) collective action theory, which helps us understand how parties with conflicting interests build collaborative institutions and governance norms to overcome collective action dilemmas; (2) the institutional logics perspective, which focuses on the value differences among partners and the associated outcomes; (3) the interactional framing perspective, which looks at how interpretations and sensemaking are constructed and deconstructed in partnerships; (4) the resource dependence perspective, which examines the resource dependencies among partners and external stakeholders; and (5) the paradox perspective, which focuses on the contradictory but interrelated elements that persistently coexist in cross-sectoral collaborations. This symposium aims to respond and contribute to diverse discourses both within the management academy and around societal challenges. This interactive session will include Q&As and discussions on strategies for developing new interactions between different fields of inquiry.