The issue of flexibility in inter-organisational collaboration: an appreciative systems thinking perspective

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to clarify the complex notion of flexibility and to explore the impact of inter-organisational information systems (IOS) on the flexibility of the interaction between organisations. Based on previous research and on Vickers’s appreciative systems thinking, the paper examines flexibility as a multidimensional concept, influenced by the inter-organisational context. Following an interpretive approach and a multiple case design, it analyses the flexibility of the interaction of two retailers and two suppliers. Based on the empirical findings, it shows that the use of IOS can constrain even competent organisations. It also shows how different organisational contexts affect the flexibility of inter-organisational collaboration. It finally discusses the socio-technical and dynamic nature of flexibility, as well as examining the relationships between its different dimensions.