Interorganizational Coordination Research Articles

Looking into inter-organizational coordination from a cultural perspective: A study on public organizations at the subnational level in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This paper analyses inter-organizational coordination from a cultural perspective at the sub-national level, focusing on Upazila in Bangladesh. A case-oriented qualitative study reveals that organizations with similar cultures are likely to be more successful in ensuring coordination than others who do not. The study also finds that the lack of cultural computability among different public organizations at the Upazila level has ensured coordination among them is problematic. The study also identifies several factors that create barriers to cultural compatibility. These factors include colonial legacy, different working procedures, lack of similar choices and preferences, history of the development of public organizations, inequality among public officials, societal influence on public officials, and lack of inter-organizational learning programmes.

Cartooning the Integration of Interorganizational Coordination Types

In this study, I analyze cartoons used to communicate to the public the integration of digital platforms with transport chains in port logistics. I argue that these two types of coordination carry competing logics, which explains the ambiguous visual representations of the future implementation of digital platforms in a major European port. In addition to intentional, convenient, and unintended affordances specific to cartoons, I identified three ambiguous trade-offs in the visual communications to the public. These trade-offs prevent incumbents to share the reliable real-time data required for the conception of a digital platform. Based on these findings, I argue that a disruptive suspension of the existing interorganizational coordination logic might be inevitable. This study contributes to discussions about unintentional coordination maintenance, the possibility of weaker incumbents to resist the will of more powerful incumbents, and the affordance of visual communication through cartoons.

Interorganizational Relation in Disaster Response in Developing Context: Assessing Response to Beirut Explosion

This paper focuses on the role of local community organizations in disaster management following the Beirut explosion of August 4, 2020. It answers the following question: How can interorganizational relationships be effective in their response to disaster in a developing context? The main argument is that a lack of communication and collaboration made non-profit organizations’ interventions unsuccessful, and governmental support is necessary for successful interorganizational coordination. This paper develops a framework for disaster response that can be adapted in developing countries. Its theoretical importance is in adding to scarce literature on interorganizational relationships in developing contexts.

The impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on a network of 276 international organizations

Global sustainability governance is marked by a highly fragmented system of distinct clusters of international organizations, along with states and other actors. Enhancing inter-organizational coordination and cooperation is thus often recognized as an important reform challenge in global sustainability governance. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, agreed by the United Nations in 2015, thus explicitly aim at advancing policy coherence and institutional integration among the myriad international institutions. Yet, have these goals been effective in this regard? We assess here the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on the network structure of 276 international organizations in the period 2012–2019, that is, four years before and four years after the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals. The network structure was approximated by analyzing data from the websites of these 276 international organizations that were joined by more than 1.5 million hyperlinks, which we collected using a custom-made web crawler. Our findings are contrary to what is widely expected from the Sustainable Development Goals: we find that fragmentation has in fact increased after the Sustainable Development Goals came into effect. In addition, silos are increasing around the 17 SDGs as well as around the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

Interorganizational Coordination for Immigrant Integration into Local Society

Interorganizational Coordination for Immigrant Integration into Local Society

Model Analysis of Effective Factors on the Implementation of Crisis Management Policies

INTRODUCTION: Crisis management maintains security, stability, and flexibility in society by integrating different social resources with appropriate decisions and strengthening the ability of the community to recover from the negative impacts. Therefore, the present study aimed to conduct a model analysis of effective factors in implementing crisis management policies. METHODS: The present study is a descriptive survey research with a mixed methods design. A total of 18 experts were non-randomly and purposefully selected for the qualitative section based on expertise and availability. In addition, 248 individuals were selected from managers and experts (658 people) of the National Disaster Management Organization of Iran and partner organizations for the quantitative section based on Krejcie and Morgan Table using Cochran's formula and simple random sampling. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire including 33 factors affecting the implementation of crisis management policy, the content validity of which was confirmed by professors, and its reliability by Cronbach's alpha test (α = 0.89). Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software and the AHP method was used to prioritize the factors. FINDINGS: Findings indicated that 33 components in the form of structural, organizational, environmental, and management factors, as well as financial and human resources, uniform practices, communication, information, and inter-organizational coordination, regulations, and policy implementers successfully affect the implementation of crisis management policies. Structural, organizational, and environmental factors significantly affect the implementation of policies. CONCLUSION: Defining the responsibilities of partner organizations as well as developing transparency and designing specific goals contribute to the successful implementation of crisis management policies.

Механизмы и инструменты управления развитием логистической инфраструктуры морских портов Каспийского региона

Development of the logistics infrastructure of the seaports in the Caspian region is conditioned by their geographical location in the south of Russia and by high transit potential on the Trans-Caspian route of the international transport corridor North-South. The lack of inter-organizational coordination, as well as the limited investment opportunities of sea terminal operators do not allow to compete with the transnational transport and logistics companies engaged in foreign trade transportation along the vectors “West-East” and “North-South”. Increasing the competitiveness of the seaport logistics operators in the Caspian region can be possible as a result of the development of a mechanism that coordinates the interaction of transport and logistics services market entities and the state based on the centralization of logistics infrastructure development management functions at the macro-, meso- and micro levels. The subjects of management are defined: a single operator at the federal level, an information and analytical center of the port special economic zone of the Astrakhan region at the regional level and a logistics coordinator as a structural subdivision of a Single operator in seaports. Management technologies and tools are presented, management objects at each level are specified. The business process “management of the centered logistics system of the seaport” has been developed to coordinate interactions with the allocation of the subprocess “management of logistics infrastructure development projects”, which allows regulating the sequence and content of subprocesses, implementation tools, incoming and outgoing information flows. The operation of the interaction mechanisms between the entities managing the development of the seaport logistics infrastructure in the Caspian region is illustrated.

An Old Puzzle and Unprecedented Challenges: Coordination in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US

Major emergencies and crises require action from all levels of government and the involvement of numerous organizations from the private and nonprofit sectors. Thus, interorganizational coordination is a crucial element of emergency and crisis management. This study first addresses how interagency coordination is structured in American policies and frameworks within the context of public health emergencies. Then, the significant coordination-related challenges that exist at the federal level are discussed, as well as how such challenges manifested in a severe shortage of critical medical resources at the outset of the pandemic. A series of government reports are then reviewed to further explore these coordination failures. Finally, recommendations are offered regarding ways to integrate network governance into the hierarchical governance structure for better crisis coordination. This research contributes to a broader understanding of interagency coordination in response to large-scale public health emergencies.

Asset Based Village Development, A Good Practice from Desa Banyuurip Ujungpangkah, Kabupaten Gresik in Maintenance Mangrove Area as Touris Destination

This study analyses the effort of the Banyuurip village in enhancing their potencies and asset in preserving mangrove area. The purpose of this writing to portray the involvement of the youth in sustains local tourism development. The parameters used to determine the degree of public participation in the development planning phase are the involvement in problem identification, objective formulation, and decision making related to the development of the local tourist attraction. This paper analysed the five strategies of Banyuurip village government and their counterpart in creating sustainable tourism system. The SWOT analyses employ to analyse the five elements of strategies in creating sustainable tourism system. This approach is believed able to provide an holistic analysis in Community Based Tourism (CBT) development. The problems faced by the Banyuurip tourism community in managing their local tourist destination are lack of adequate human resources, limited of public facilities, limited financial support, lack of regulation that support the CBT, inter-organizational coordination problems, conflict of interest among group of community, and property ownership. This writing found that the position of the village leader both formal and informal leader is significant in CBT Development. However, the sustainable tourism it self requires the government political will in the development of CBT.

Factors Affecting the Change of Agricultural Land Use to Tourism: A Case Study on the Southern Coasts of the Caspian Sea, Iran

This research investigates the reasons of changing the agricultural land use to tourism in a developing country with different political, economic and social context (Iran). The method used in this research is qualitative, and unstructured interviews have been used to collect data. The target population of the research includes farmers who have sold their farmlands to investors in the tourism sector and experts from the agricultural department of the relevant county. The interviewees have been selected through using snowball method and after reaching theoretical saturation, the data collection process was stopped. The results showed that various macro and micro factors affected the process of changing the agricultural land uses to tourism, including the weakness of the agricultural sector in creating income and job opportunities compared to the tourism sector, the weakness of the land use laws and the lack of inter-organizational coordination in law enforcement, the weakness of the property registration system and the lack of a national cadaster, the lack of effective government support of the agricultural sector, the rapid rise in land prices and, ultimately, the change in the attitude of farmers both old and young once towards the agricultural activity and the level of welfare.

A model for Vision Zero implementation in Iran: a grounded theory study.

:Background:Road Traffic injuries (RTIs) are major global health issues, but they have been neglected. RTIs are multi-faceted in nature and, like many injuries, are costly but preventable. Iran has one of the highest rates of deaths due to traffic accidents among middle-income countries. Hence, there is a need for effective and preventive approaches in road safety management. One of the new approaches to road safety is the Vision Zero. The aim of this study was to design a Vision Zero implementation model in Iran.Methods:This present study was conducted using the qualitative grounded theory approach. Purposive, snowball and maximum variety sampling were used to select participants. In-depth interviews were used to collect data. Grounded theory method was used to analyze the data using Corbin and Strauss method.Results:In this study, 19 interviews were conducted with 17 participants. Based on data analysis, a total of 4 main categories and 13 subcategories were obtained. According to the participants, the lead agency was recognized as the core category. Other concepts were categorized as causal conditions, intervening conditions, contextual conditions, action/interaction strategies, and consequences.Conclusions:Establishing a lead agency with inter-organizational coordination through political support and legislation and changing the approach of road safety can be effective in implementing a Vision Zero. Also, improving the safety attitude of the stakeholders and changing their approach through training and advocacy from various organizations related to road safety is effective in creating a lead agency and implementing a vision zero. In addition, in order to implementation of the model, it is very important to pay attention to the economic, political and ethical underlying factors towards human beings.

Challenges of prehospital aerial operations in response to earthquake hazards: A qualitative study.

Due to the severity of the earthquake, it may need immediate treatment and transfer of the injured people to advanced medical centers, as well as dispatch of the expert team and specialized health equipment to the accident-affected area. Aerial emergency is an important responsibility of the health care system in this situation. The study aimed to extract the prehospital emergency challenges of Iran aerial operations emergency in response to the earthquake. The study was qualitative content analysis with conventional approach. Sampling was done in a purposive method and data were collected through semi-structured interview. The panel involved consists of 26 health professionals in medical emergencies. Recorded interviews were transcribed into written and then conventional content analysis was used to derive coding categories directly from the text data. Content analysis is provided 97 initial codes, 20 subcategories and 4 main categories including challenges of "response assessment," "support," "pre-hospital staff-management," and "response operation," respectively. The results showed that the necessity to assess the affected area, staffing, and management actions, including integrated operations command and the development of a dedicated response plan, as well as the use of strategies inter-organizational coordination in the response phase to earthquake. This study also emphasized that providing standard equipment, support actions, and strengthening communication infrastructure, and updating the aerial emergency system should be considered as one of the priorities of the emergency organization of Iran to provide a desired response to the earthquake.

Implementing COVID-19 surveillance through inter-organizational coordination: a qualitative study of three cities in Colombia.

Introducing comprehensive surveillance is recommended as an urgent public health measure to control and mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. However, its implementation has proven challenging as it requires inter-organizational coordination among multiple healthcare stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of soft and hard mechanisms in the implementation of inter-organizational coordination strategies for COVID-19 surveillance within Colombia, drawing on evidence from the cities of Bogotá, Cali and Cartagena. The study used a case study approach to understand the perspectives of local and national authorities, insurance companies and health providers in the implementation of inter-organizational coordination strategies for COVID-19 surveillance. Eighty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and November 2020. The data were analysed by codes and categorized using New NVivo software. The study identified inter-organizational coordination strategies that were implemented to provide COVID-19 surveillance in the three cities. Both soft (e.g. trust and shared purpose) and hard mechanisms (e.g. formal agreements and regulations) acted as mediators for collaboration and helped to address existing structural barriers in the provision of health services. The findings suggest that soft and hard mechanisms contributed to promoting change among healthcare system stakeholders and improved inter-organizational coordination for disease surveillance. The findings contribute to evidence regarding practices to improve coordinated surveillance of disease, including the roles of new forms of financing and contracting between insurers and public and private health service providers, logistics regarding early diagnosis in infectious disease and the provision of health services at the community level regardless of insurance affiliation. Our research provides evidence to improve disease surveillance frameworks in fragmented health systems contributing to public health planning and health system improvement.

Factors influencing integrated information management: Spatial data infrastructure in Pakistan

Spatial data is one of the core components in all information retrieval processes for decision-making. Spatial data acquisition consumes enormous monetary resources and time. The Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) provides a basis and guide for developing, integrating, strengthening, and maximizing geospatial information management and related resources in all countries. To this, governments all over the world are establishing national spatial data infrastructures (SDIs). However, such initiatives face a considerable amount of resistance as organizations often do not want to share their data assets. The present study investigates these barriers in the establishment of national SDI in Pakistan. The constraints studied through the IGIF pathways and past studies were adapted via a pilot study and conceptualized in a hypothesized model. We collected primary data via the administration of 520 questionnaire surveys to 280 public and private organizations. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to statistically confirm the conceptual model of the barriers to disseminating spatial data. The results indicate institutional barriers from the absence of national data policy, lack of specified roles of stakeholders, poor inter-organizational coordination, missing data-sharing policy, and weak organizational partnerships, with coefficients 0.26, 1.555, 1.305, 8.288, and 0.136, respectively, at the p < 0.001 significance level. The PLS-SEM R2 0.65 indicates a good explanatory power of the model. The methodology developed in the present study will allow devising more sustainable policies for spatial data management and dissemination in Pakistan and beyond.

Characteristics of enhanced safety coordination between high-speed rail operators and manufacturers

The current study analyzes safety issues that emerge owing to complex inter-organizational coordination between operators and manufacturers of high-speed railway (HSR) rolling stock, a topic rarely discussed in previous literature despite the prominence of HSR as an advanced transport mode. Risk factors pertinent to inter-organizational coordination between HSR stakeholders and solutions for managing these risk factors are critically examined through the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) of an authentic safety incident. The analysis is conducted using official investigative reports and accounts of the incident triangulated from multiple sources within the Japanese HSR industry. Based on an FRAM-based taxonomical analysis of the theoretical solutions and considering the feasibility of the generated solutions, this study provides comprehensive and novel recommendations on the required characteristics of inter-organizational coordination for enhanced safety. In contrast to existing studies on safety coordination, the study finds that increased inter-organizational coordination between stakeholders directly involved in the process may not be sufficient to improve safety and that regulatory facilitation may be necessary. Moreover, the study concludes that the necessary coordination between stakeholders across the safety management process should be structured in order to conduct industry-wide integrated systematic risk assessments.

A Blockchain-based inter-organisational relationships: Social and innovation implications

Contemporary businesses increasingly adopt algorithmic technologies to facilitate inter-organisational coordination. One example of this trend is a blockchain-based smart contracting, also known as smart contracting, which autonomously executes actions when encoded conditions are satisfied. While an emerging body of literature provides some evidence of positive associations between smart contracting and operational performance reflected in the reduction of transaction costs and improvement of transaction efficiency, research has yet to explore how these novel, technology-based governance mechanisms can affect relational resources, mainly social capital, often required to produce innovation performance. Therefore, by adopting the social capital lens, this study investigated the social and performance implications of smart contracting. Adopting a mixed-methods strategy, data collection included collecting insights from field experts, using the Delphi method, followed by semi-structured interviews with executives of firms that either use this technology or facilitate its implementation. The findings revealed that smart contracting directly affects the formation and structure of inter-organisational social capital, which can subsequently contribute to innovation performance. We also developed an evidence-based model that critically integrates factors influencing the relationship between social capital and innovation performance. Interestingly, system trust, as trust in technology, is found to be the key contextual factor, driving most aspects of inter-organisational collaborations. The study advances our understanding of how inter-organisational relationships can evolve in the smart contracting settings.

Determinants of Food Safety Regulation in Bangladesh: An Empirical Analysis

A well-functioning food safety regulatory arrangement is important for ensuring the standards of foodstuffs, better food business, and the protection of public health in a given country. This article deals with the perceived determinants of the food safety regulation in Bangladesh. Based on literature review, we propose an analytical framework and identify key determinants that might influence effective food safety regulation in a developing country like Bangladesh. We then conduct a perception survey on 200 different kinds of stakeholders involved with the regulation of foodstuffs standards. We utilize descriptive mode of statistical analysis in our study. In our findings, actual autonomy of the main regulatory agency, and actual inter-organizational coordination are perceived as important determinates of effective food safety regulation. Proper enforcement of regulation, and accountability and transparency are perceived another factors of quality food safety regulation. It is also perceived that penalties are not sufficient enough for the food safety offences. Technical personnel and the state of the art laboratory facilities are other determinants of the regulation of food safety. Again, decentralized food safety regulatory network is perceived as very important determinant of the control of the food safety hazards at all level as well as an effective regulatory arrangement. The policy makers need to take into account the perceived determinates for desired food safety regulatory outcome in Bangladesh.

Mobilisation of emergency services for chemical incidents in Sweden - a multi-agency focus group study

BackgroundIn chemical incidents, infrequent but potentially disastrous, the World Health Organization calls for inter-organizational coordination of actors involved. Multi-organizational studies of chemical response capacities are scarce. We aimed to describe chemical incident experiences and perceptions of Swedish fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, police services, and emergency dispatch services personnel.MethodsEight emergency service organizations in two distinct and dissimilar regions in Sweden participated in one organization-specific focus group interview each. The total number of respondents was 25 (7 females and 18 males). A qualitative inductive content analysis was performed.ResultsThree types of information processing were derived as emerging during acute-phase chemical incident mobilization: Unspecified (a caller communicating with an emergency medical dispatcher), specified (each emergency service obtaining organization-specific expert information), and aligned (continually updated information from the scene condensed and disseminated back to all parties at the scene). Improvable shortcomings were identified, e.g. randomness (unspecified information processing), inter-organizational reticence (specified information processing), and downprioritizing central information transmission while saving lives (aligned information processing).ConclusionsThe flow of information may be improved by automation, public education, revised dispatcher education, and use of technical resources in the field. Future studies should independently assess these mechanism’s degree of impact on mobilisation of emergency services in chemical incidents.

Derivation of the ‘Principles of Transboundary Crisis Communication’ Based on the Reinterpretation of the “Ten Best Practices of Crisis Communication”

본 연구는 현대사회에 빈발하는 탈경계적 위기에 효과적으로 대응할 수 있도록 기존의 위기 커뮤니케이션 연구를 재해석, 이론적 보강 및 재개념화하여 ‘탈경계적 위기 커뮤니케이션 원칙’을 도출하고, 원칙이 실제 위기 상황에 활용 가능한지 확인하고자 하였다. 탈경계적 위기는 위기가 여러 부분에 걸쳐있으며, 급속한 확장, 극도의 불확실성, 상충되는 책임이라는 특징을 가지고 있다(Boin, 2009). 이런 탈경계적 위기에 대응하기 위해서는 조직간 조정이 필수적이라 지적되고 있다. 이에, 기존 위기커뮤니케이션 원칙을 조정에 관한 연구들로 재해석 및 보강하여, ‘탈경계적 위기 커뮤니케이션 원칙’을 도출하였다. 그리고 이를 라돈침대 사태 사례에 적용하여 활용성을 검증하였다. 분석결과, ‘탈경계적 위기 커뮤니케이션 원칙’이 위기대응 시 유용할 수 있음이 증명되었다. 결론적으로탈경계적 위기 상황에서는 문제소지 탐지 시, 이것이 탈경계적 위기로 발전할 수 있음을 경계해야한다. 그리고 조직간 조정이 가능하도록 의사결정과정마다 타조직 및 대중과 네트워킹해야 한다. 마지막으로 조정시에는 과학적 지식에서 출발하여, 대중의 우려를 경청, 이해, 공감해야 한다.To effectively respond to the transboundary crises that are recurrent in modern society, this study reinterprets, theoretically reinforces, and reconceptualizes crisis communication studies to derive the “Principles of Transboundary Crisis Communication.” A transboundary crisis is characterized by a crisis that spans several areas, expands rapidly in extreme uncertainty, and generates conflicting responsibilities. Interorganizational coordination is essential to cope with a crisis that traverses borders. Accordingly, the “Principles of Transboundary Crisis Communication” were derived by reinterpreting and reinforcing the existing crisis communication principles with studies on adjustment. These principles were applied to the radon bed case. The analysis results proved that these principles can be useful in responding to crises. In summary, when such a difficult situation is first identified, warnings about a potential transboundary crisis must be issued. Organizations should network with each other and with the public during each decision-making process so that interorganizational coordination is made possible. This coordination should be founded upon scientific knowledge and must aim to understand and empathize with public concerns.

Postformation alliance capabilities and environmental innovation: The roles of environmental in‐learning and relation‐specific investments

AbstractThis paper draws insights from the relational view perspective to examine the effects of two postformation alliance capabilities—interorganizational coordination and communication, and relation‐specific investments on small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises' (SMEs') environmental innovation. Analysis of time‐lagged survey data from a sample of 223 SMEs from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shows a positive interactive effect of interorganizational coordination and communication on environmental innovation, and this relationship is mediated by environmental in‐learning. The results further indicate that relation‐specific investment moderates the indirect relationship between the complementary effect of interorganizational coordination and communication and environmental innovation. These findings extend the environmental innovation literature by exploring the interactive effect of interorganizational coordination and communication on environmental innovation.