Boundary-spanning Research Articles

The evolving role of technology transfer offices in the entrepreneurial university: Go-betweens or playmakers?

AbstractTechnology transfer offices (TTOs) play an increasingly important role in universities, supporting researchers in translating science knowledge into commercially and socially valuable outcomes. However, the literature is limited regarding how TTOs support the technology transfer process. This study contributes deeper insight into the role of TTOs in facilitating knowledge transfer outcomes. A case study of life science commercialization in Australasian universities drew on depth interviews with senior TTO managers and industry experts, on longitudinal participant observation within a life science intermediary business to inform about supply side elements, and on secondary data. The findings emphasise the effects of wider institutional change on quintuple helix (5H) stakeholders, i.e., the environment, society, government, universities, and industry. Financialization and competition places growing demands on universities for commercializable intellectual property (IP) production. In response, TTOs have built competencies in translational engagement (trust and reputation building and boundary spanning) and value co-creation (service quality management and de-risking). Those competencies translate to a five-stage process of technology transfer facilitation: (1) Identifying, (2) assessing, (3) protecting, (4) promoting and (5) profiting. In the complex context of life science innovation, innovation networks benefit from investment in university outreach, stakeholder relationship building, tax credits, and fund matching with transnational corporations. To ensure optimal social and commercial outcomes independent oversight of the process should be maintained, by representatives from all 5H stakeholders.

Boundary Spanning, Funder-Initiated Grants and Research Productivity

Boundary Spanning, Funder-Initiated Grants and Research Productivity

Boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration as microfoundations of dynamic capability: a systematic literature review

Boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration as microfoundations of dynamic capability: a systematic literature review

Bridging differences by design: competencies and individual characteristics of boundary-spanning spatial designers in urban climate adaptation planning

ABSTRACT Urban designers and landscape architects increasingly take up boundary spanning as part of their broadening role towards designing processes, policies, narratives and becoming design-led entrepreneurs. This study mapped the competencies and individual characteristics of boundary-spanning spatial designers in urban climate adaptation planning and revealed that in addition to ‘known’ boundary spanning skills, design-related skills and competences have strong boundary spanning potential. However, boundary spanning is conditioned by the position of the boundary spanner, as well as other organizational, institutional, and environmental factors. These insights are helpful for developing (re)new(ed) educational design-curricula, and aiding spatial designers in becoming competent boundary spanners.

Navigating role identity tensions — IT project managers’ identity work in agile information systems development

ABSTRACT While the management of traditional, plan-based information systems development (ISD) projects lies with the information technology project manager (ITPM), this role is challenged in agile ISD team settings, characterised by self-managed and autonomous teams. Driven by the potential for individual, project, and organisational benefits through a deeper comprehension of these challenges, our study draws upon role identity theories to uncover identity tensions that this role creates and ways in which ITPMs engage in identity work to resolve these tensions. We conducted an in-depth, qualitative study involving interviews with ITPMs operating within agile ISD teams embedded in traditionally-managed organisations. A central contribution of our paper lies in the development of a theoretical model that unpacks how ITPMs navigate identity work tensions by engaging in specific identity work activities. By revealing the interplay between ITPMs’ role identity tensions, identity work activities, and contextual factors, our study moves beyond purely descriptive accounts and offers a nuanced understanding of the emotional and behavioural dimensions of ITPMs in their liminal position. Additionally, our work underscores the pivotal role of ITPMs as boundary spanners, bridging the gap between traditional and agile governance structures to drive digital transformation. For practitioners, we provide agile ISD team design recommendations.

MULTICULTURAL EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTIONS OF DIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose: This research explored the in-depth meaning of how multicultural employees perceive diversity in South African formal sector firms. In doing so, it extracted the lived experiences of multicultural employees about the cultural differences perceived within the country. South Africa is characterised by cultural and linguistic heterogeneity and a relatively large formal sector economy by African standards. Methodology: For this cross-sectional study, data were gathered through a homogeneous purposive sampling of nine participants and conducting semi-structured interviews. This small sample size allows for a thorough investigation into each participant's lived experience to gather qualitative data. The specific phenomenological method used in this study is a novel interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which seeks to extract data and discern meaning in the participants' narratives. Results: The findings were interpreted through the lens of social identity theory within an interpretative philosophical paradigm. These interpretations were leveraged to extract a central narrative that is grouped thematically. The main finding was identifying several factors that contribute to the spanning of cultural boundaries in South African formal sector firms. Practical Implications: The study identified how participants make meaning of their experiences within the formal sector of South Africa and how their interpretations shape their behaviour and attitudes. Originality/Value: The findings indicate that a significant amount of intra-country cultural diversity is perceived in the South African formal sector workplace, which can cause friction and reinforce cultural stereotypes.

Drivers of innovation in infrastructure development projects: A configurational analysis of boundary spanning roles

Innovation can provide new opportunities to improve project efficiency. However, enabling innovation is challenging, especially in public infrastructure development projects. Several impeding factors, such as limited contractual incentives and complexity, are prevalent in contract-based collaborative environments. Literature suggests that boundary spanners play an important role in driving innovation by seizing opportunities. This study aims to identify configurations of boundary spanning roles in typical project situations— varying in contract type and complexity— to facilitate innovation. The empirical data is from 58 projects and analyzed using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Results show that depending on the project conditions in terms of contract type and complexity, different combinations of boundary spanning roles can be taken up by project managers or other team members to facilitate innovation. This study highlights that in high-complexity situations, boundary spanning roles play a critical role in maintaining good relationships with collaborators, which is instrumental in developing innovation.

Public–private partnerships, boundary spanners and the boundary wall in the English National Health Service

PurposeThe paper investigates English National Health Service (NHS) organisations partnering with private companies, a form commonly known as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Successive governments have promoted PPPs as a way of improving the delivery of health care, making the best of the different skills/experience which both sectors bring. However, the task of making these relationships work on the ground often falls to individual leaders/practitioners (“boundary spanners”) whose role has been under-researched in this type of partnership.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for a comparative three case study approach, including 13 semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with employees representing middle and senior management involved in managing the partnerships. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including minutes, descriptions of internal processes and press releases.FindingsThe paper provides conceptual and empirical insights by creating a framework called the “boundary wall” that indicates the ways in which different elements of the boundaries between organisations influence the role and activities of boundary spanners (managers of the partnership).Research limitations/implicationsThis is an initial framework in an under-researched area, so will need further testing and application to other case study sites in future research.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications for both practice and policy.Originality/valueWhile we know an increasing amount about the role of boundary spanners in public partnerships, the paper makes a unique contribution by exploring these concepts in the context of relationships between the public and private sectors.

The importance of organizational capacities for collaborative research: boundary crossings within a Swedish research–practice partnership

ABSTRACT Research – practice partnerships (RPPs) in education have been on the political agenda in Sweden during the last years. RPPs are long-term collaborations between higher education institutions and school districts (municipalities) and schools which intend to facilitate teacher-researcher collaboration in close relation to the teaching practice. This study focuses on a Swedish RPP between one university and multiple municipalities. It explores why two comparable municipalities differed in their success in the partnership’s core activity: calls for funding for collaborative research. Using the theoretical framework of absorptive capacity and boundary infrastructure, the internal organization of the two municipalities and how the RPP-initiative was docked into these organizations were analysed. We interviewed municipal- and school-level actors involved in the application processes within the two municipalities. Significant results include that for equal opportunities for teacher – researcher collaboration, municipalities must develop an organizational capacity that allows them to learn productively from external partners and recognize the knowledge provided by boundary spanners. This study contributes to the expanding literature on partners’ strategies to address emerging challenges of RPPs. It expands our understanding of how municipalities’ internal organization facilitates or hinders collaborative research within RPPs in education.

Digital boundary spanning in the evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems: A dynamic capabilities perspective

This study examines the digitalization of entrepreneurial ecosystems and its implications for its conceptual boundaries. In particular, it explores opportunities to catalyze the early evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems stemming from digitalization. Surprisingly, the role of digitalization has not been fully considered in the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature despite its significant impact on its conceptual boundaries. Consequently, it remains unclear how digitalization provides opportunities to overcome regional resource scarcity. Therefore, this study investigates how an entrepreneurial ecosystem can leverage exogenous trajectories and mobilize and integrate external resources. Based on an exploratory qualitative single-case study on the Estonian entrepreneurial ecosystem, this study theorizes digital boundary spanning and identifies necessary entrepreneurial ecosystem capabilities by drawing from the concept of dynamic capabilities. The findings contribute to entrepreneurial ecosystem research by incorporating digital trajectories into the conceptual understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystems and providing a more nuanced view of evolutionary dynamics.

Facilitating Interfirm Collaboration by Using Social Media

ABSTRACT Purpose Using social media (SM) in the workplace is controversial. Managers are concerned about boundary spanners’ heavy use of SM for unproductive activities, while boundary spanners need task-focused SM usage to enhance cooperative intention, share mutual knowledge, and build long-term relations. To clarify the effects of SM usage, the authors draw on task–technology fit (TTF) theory to examine how task-focused SM usage (TSM) and relationship-focused SM usage (RSM) influence the efficacy of interpersonal guanxi in China’s emerging economy. Methodology/approach The authors test the proposed theoretical model by collecting 550 valid questionnaires of survey data from manufacturers in China. Ordinary least squares regression is used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. Findings The results of the statistical analysis show that interpersonal guanxi improves interfirm coordination and exchange performance. Furthermore, TSM usage strengthens the positive impact of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination but weakens the positive effect of interpersonal guanxi on exchange performance, while RSM usage enhances its positive impact on exchange performance but weakens the positive effect of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination. Research implications This study contributes to the literature by developing and testing the TTF-based framework of interpersonal guanxi and SM usage. The finding enriches our knowledge on the roles of interpersonal guanxi in the business-to-business (B2B) context. Practical implications This study offers the guidance for firms using SM in the B2B context. SM usage should be fited with firms’ and boundary spanners’ tasks, considering the complementary and supplementary nature of SM usage. Originality/value/contribution This study tests the different roles of SM usage, i.e., TSM versus RSM, in fostering the efficacy of interpersonal guanxi, providing a meaningful perspective on firms’ knowledge activities. Moreover, by proposing a TTF-based framework of interpersonal guanxi and SM usage, it explores the informational roles of boundary spanners’ SM usage in promoting dyadic relationships.

Untold Intelligence: Tacit Knowledge and Marketing Success

Salespersons are a source of invaluable market knowledge that can help change the course of organisational strategy. However, research on extracting this knowledge is scarce. Therefore, this research aims to develop and empirically test a model that explains the tacit knowledge exchange process between salespersons and marketing. Data were collected from 224 randomly selected business-to-business and business-to-consumer salespersons (boundary spanners) of commercial banks in Pakistan. Structural equation modelling (SEM) via maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) was conducted using AMOS 24. Except for inter-functional communication quality and inter-functional conflict, all antecedents significantly influence tacit knowledge exchange. Tacit knowledge exchange significantly affects relative efficiency, marketing program innovation and relative effectiveness. Training programs that bring together the sales and marketing employees to increase trust, increase socialisation opportunities and increase task conflict may strengthen the tacit knowledge exchange process in the banking sector.

Exploring the role of evidence-based educational resources and brokering in the wake of political trauma

Background The research-practice gap has not been explored within civics education, and in particular the role of evidence-based civics curriculum in times of political trauma. Such research is critical in equipping educators with evidence-based resources to help mitigate political trauma experienced by students. Here, we explore the types of resources teachers access as well as the role of Brokers, Intermediaries and Boundary Spanners (BIBS) in connecting teachers to such sources after the historic 6 January 2021 US Capitol insurrection. Aims and objectives This study poses the following research questions: (1) what resources did teachers utilise to support their students following the 6 January 2021 Capitol insurrection; and (2) who were key BIBS in connecting teachers to such information and what role did research evidence have in the generation of such materials? Methods Using cross-sectional survey data, we analyse the open-ended text-based responses from educators reflecting on the days after 6 January 2021. Findings The study illuminates’ trends in: (1) the type of resources teachers utilise to address students’ needs (educational curricula, social media, news outlets); and (2) the role of BIBS in connecting them to such information (media platforms, mass media, educational non-profit organisations). Discussion and conclusion In the face of political trauma, educators present civics crises as ‘open issues’ and struggle to access frameworks to support research-based pedagogy. Findings illuminate the potential of a BIBS framework that works to further support educators in facilitating conversations and evidence-based pedagogies with their students that rebuke such injustices.

Collective knowledge brokering in social enterprises: developing an immersion-based model using Schein’s organisational cone

ABSTRACT Knowledge acquisition and integration across boundaries is essential for developing innovative solutions in social enterprises (SEs). The vital role of knowledge brokers in this process has been sparsely discussed. This study examined knowledge brokering roles for effective solution development in SEs. We qualitatively analysed four Indian SEs using analytical techniques of grounded theory and the Gioia method. Brokering emerged as a collective process involving multiple agents who spanned for, translated and integrated two knowledge sets: expert and contextual. Correspondingly, two brokering roles emerged: boundary spanners and translators, which were further subdivided into primary and secondary. SEs displayed varying brokering configurations, which we explain by developing one of the first models of collective knowledge brokering using Schein’s organisational cone (1971) and immersion. SEs can employ our model to identify and groom agents into specific brokering roles, and develop beneficial brokering configurations, for enhanced effectiveness.

Unveiling connections between organizational dimensions, employee performance and boundary-spanning behaviors: a study on perceived organizational support and perceived supervisory support

PurposeThis study aims to examine the influence of perceived organizational support (POS) on boundary-spanning behaviors (BSBs) among frontline employees in the hospitality industry. It also considered perceived supervisory support (PSS) as a moderating factor within a conceptual model.Design/methodology/approachData were gathered from 651 full-time hospitality employees across 12 hotels in China. The analysis of the data used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings revealed that POS influences hospitality boundary spanners’ BSBs, specifically external representation (ER), internal influence (II) and service delivery (SD). In addition, PSS moderates the relationship between POS and these frontline employees’ behaviors.Practical implicationsThis study offers practical strategies for hospitality professionals to enhance frontline employees’ BSBs and foster supportive workplaces that drive employee excellence. These strategies encompass cultivating a supportive organizational culture, implementing supportive measures, fostering a sense of belonging among employees and ensuring supervisors’ well-being and competence in supporting their teams during daily interactions. These actions effectively motivate customer-contact employees to excel in their performance.Originality/valueFostering a helpful attitude in frontline employees is crucial for service firms’ success. Hospitality organizations must provide support to achieve this. Few studies have explored how organizational support contributes positively to the BSBs of customer-contact employees. This study goes beyond oversimplification and delves into the nuanced interplay between perceived support (POS and PSS) and hospitality frontline employees’ BSBs, focusing on ER, II and SD. The moderated mediating model enhances the understanding of support dynamics in the organizational context.

Education and Literacy Impact of Excellence Quality Management on Innovative Organizations in Basic Schools under Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, Thailand

The objectives of this study were to study (i) the excellence in quality management of basic schools in the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, (ii) the innovative organization of basic schools at the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, and (iii) the excellence in quality management affecting the innovative organization of primary schools under the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization. The study involved 240 participants, encompassing administrators, heads of learning groups, and teachers. The research instrument utilized was a questionnaire, and statistical analyses such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the collected data. Findings reveal significant insights: The study highlights a high level of practice in excellent quality management in basic schools, ranking in descending order as follows: student and stakeholder focus, performance results, strategic planning, faculty, and staff focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, process management, and leadership. The innovative organization of basic schools encourages high-level ranking in descending order: key individual, appropriate organizational structure, creative raising climate, effective teamwork, long-term stability, boundary spanning and learning exchange, high-involvement innovation, shared vision, and intention to create innovation. The study excellence quality management five variables: performance results, leadership strategic planning, process management staff focus that affected the innovation organization of primary schools under the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, totaling 84.70 percent, written as a regression analysis equation as follows Ytot= 0.080 + 0.269X7 +0.091X1 + 0.231X6 + 0.164X2 + 0.133X5.

Boundary spanners as a key to value creation in infrastructure procurement

PurposeInfrastructure forms a basis for the operations and sustainability of the modern society. This paper aims to recognize value creation from the infrastructure procurement ecosystem perspective to achieve those goals. The pursuit of enhancing value creation involves an examination of infrastructure procurement challenges, boundaries as well as boundary spanners that facilitate effective knowledge transfer and interaction.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative study is based on content analysis of 25 thematic interviews. Data was transcribed and coded via Atlas.ti software.FindingsInfrastructure procurement value creation challenges appear complex and related to boundaries that hamper collaboration, coordination and knowledge sharing. Our results show that these boundaries locate within and between different levels of procurement ecosystem. Therefore, value creation in infrastructure procurement requires boundary spanners for leveraging knowledge sharing and interaction. Artifacts, discussion, processes and brokers as identified boundary spanners are strongly nested and interrelated in the industry. Special attention should be given to supporting individuals to act as brokers, since they play the key roles in trust building, culture steering and usage of other boundary spanners.Social implicationsPromoting value creation in infrastructure procurement helps to achieve socio-economic development goals.Originality/valueThis study offers a unique perspective on value creation in the context of infrastructure by adopting an ecosystem lens and examining boundary crossing mechanisms. The results support future development of collaboration and knowledge sharing practices fostering procurement productivity.

The Project Management Office’s Active Participation in a Digital Transformation: A Trajectory Full of Twists and Turns

Profound changes caused by digital transformation are reshaping organizations in many sectors. This article presents a longitudinal exploratory case study of a project management office (PMO) in the banking sector, which participated in its organization’s digital transformation. The focus is on the evolution of the PMO’s participation during the transformation process. This study provides a rich understanding of the evolving tensions and challenges faced by PMOs and their connection as boundary spanners and contributors to the ongoing transformation from a multilevel process perspective.

Suggesting a holistic framework for understanding healthcare services leadership competence – a critical interpretive synthesis

PurposeHealthcare providers are under pressure due to increasing and more complex demands for services. Increased pressure on budgets and human resources adds to an ever-growing problem set. Competent leaders are in demand to ensure effective and well-performing healthcare organisations that deliver balanced results and high-quality services. Researchers have made significant efforts to identify and define determining competencies for healthcare leadership. Broad terms such as competence are, however, inherently at risk of becoming too generic to add analytical value. The purpose of this study is to suggest a holistic framework for understanding healthcare leadership competence, that can be crucial for operationalising important healthcare leadership competencies for researchers, decision-makers as well as practitioners.Design/methodology/approachIn the present study, a critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) was conducted to analyse competency descriptions for healthcare leaders. The descriptions were retrieved from peer reviewed empirical studies published between 2010 and 2022 that aimed to identify healthcare services leadership competencies. Grounded theory was utilised to code the data and inductively develop new categories of healthcare leadership competencies. The categorisation was then analysed to suggest a holistic framework for healthcare leadership competence.FindingsForty-one papers were included in the review. Coding and analysing the competence descriptions resulted in 12 healthcare leadership competence categories: (1) character, (2) interpersonal relations, (3) leadership, (4) professionalism, (5) soft HRM, (6) management, (7) organisational knowledge, (8) technology, (9) knowledge of the healthcare environment, (10) change and innovation, (11) knowledge transformation and (12) boundary spanning. Based on this result, a holistic framework for understanding and analysing healthcare services leadership competencies was suggested. This framework suggests that the 12 categories of healthcare leadership competencies include a range of knowledge, skills and abilities that can be understood across the dimension personal – and technical, and organisational internal and – external competencies.Research limitations/implicationsThis literature review was conducted with the results of searching only two electronic databases. Because of this, there is a chance that there exist empirical studies that could have added to the development of the competence categories or could have contradicted some of the descriptions used in this analysis that were assessed as quite harmonised. A CIS also opens for a broader search, including the grey literature, books, policy documents and so on, but this study was limited to peer-reviewed empirical studies. This limitation could also have affected the result, as complex phenomenon such as competence might have been disclosed in greater details in, for example, books.Practical implicationsThe holistic framework for healthcare leadership competences offers a common understanding of a “fuzzy” concept such as competence and can be used to identify specific competency needs in healthcare organisations, to develop strategic competency plans and educational programmes for healthcare leaders.Originality/valueThis study reveals a lack of consensus regarding the use and understanding of the concept of competence, and that key competencies addressed in the included papers are described vastly different in terms of what knowledge, skills and abilities they entail. This challenges the operationalisation of healthcare services leadership competencies. The proposed framework for healthcare services leadership competencies offers a common understanding of work-related competencies and a possibility to analyse key leadership competencies based on a holistic framework.

The impact of boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration in improving performance of Indonesian state-owned bank branches

State-owned enterprises have responsibilities to conduct head office’s strategies to make profits, to execute public programs and obligations, to maintain their viabilities, to serve customers, and to manage employees. Those prompt their branch managers not only to explore their environment but also to face a goal conflict situation. This study is to investigate the effects of branch managers’ boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration on the performance of branch offices in the dynamics of environmental uncertainty and goal conflict. This study employs structural equation modeling on one of the most prominent state-owned banks in Indonesia, with 201 branch offices as the unit of analysis, and 186 branch managers as respondents. The results of this study show that boundary spanning activities have a positive and significant relationship with resource orchestration. Meanwhile, both boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration are to influence the performance of branch offices. However, the influence varies widely, depending on environmental uncertainty and goal conflict experienced by branch managers. Furthermore, this study delves into an interesting phenomenon, that goal conflict situation, instead of reducing boundary spanning activities, it increases them but has no impact on resource orchestration. This closely relates to the culture of Indonesia as a nation with high power distance, low individualism, low masculinity, and low indulgence which represent preferences to prioritize workplace harmony, obey supervisors, and be loyal to the workplace.