Theorising the dark side of interorganizational relationships: an extension

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to propose mechanisms of the dark side of interorganizational relationships from a social psychological perspective. The purpose is to understand the role of boundary spanners’ social psychological processes that may trigger the dark side effects.Design/methodology/approachMultple mechanisms are developed through three social psychological theories, namely, social identity theory, system justification theory and social learning theory.FindingsBoundary spanners’ social psychological processes can trigger the dark side of interorganizational relationships via mechanisms such as excessive cooperation, reification, system justification and path dependence in learning.Practical implicationsThis paper concludes with a discussion that offers a new perspective on research on dark side effects and the managerial implications of the present analysis.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the current literature by extending the interpersonal social psychological processes that could explain the dark side of interorganizational relationships. This paper is a step forward to answer the calls for multilevel considerations of the dark side effects and inspire future research on the role of social psychological processes in dark side effects.