Sluggish, but innovative? Orchestrating collaboration in multi-stakeholder networks despite low commitment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Network orchestrators try to mobilise value from multi-stakeholder settings for innovation. While most of these settings for innovation are dynamic and fast-paced, we explore an empirical case in which members are not deeply engaged initially, whereas the orchestrators themselves are highly active and committed. Building on a qualitative study of a multi-stakeholder innovation network in the context of autonomous driving, we carve out the challenges orchestrators face in these ‘sluggish’ network settings. In addition, our findings unfold three practices orchestrators use to cultivate members’ commitment. Based on these findings, we expand the theoretical understanding of network orchestration by showing practices of orchestration that specifically focus on the creation of commitment among network members that are generally interested but remain passive at first. Furthermore, by assessing how orchestrators try to align members’ time horizons with their own, we unpack the idea of orchestrators as temporal brokers that sequence activities in multi-temporal innovation environments. Overall, we show how orchestrators can foster members' commitment levels to eventually collaborate on innovative projects.