Inter-organizational Cooperation Research Articles

Process evaluation of an interorganizational cooperation initiative in vocational rehabilitation: the Dirigo project

BackgroundThis study analyzes the process of establishing and developing a cooperative vocational rehabilitation project with special focus on organizational and professional aspects. In the project, officials from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the Swedish Public Employment Service worked cooperatively with participants on long-term sick leave, youths with disability benefits, and people receiving social allowances. The officials used Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a method when meeting participants, and were able to offer flexible and tailored case management. The goal was to improve work ability and promote self-sufficiency.MethodsThe process evaluation was carried out through continuous data collection throughout the project (2012–2014), resulting in a total of 28 individual interviews and 17 focus groups with officials and managers. The material was categorized through an inductive content analysis, and analyzed using social capital as a theoretical frame.ResultsThe evaluation points to how issues related to design, organization and management contributed to the project not reaching its goals, e.g. problems with recruitment of participants, the funding structure, and staffing problems on the managerial level. Still, officials reported positive effects of close cooperation, which was perceived as facilitating the case management by fostering a mutual understanding and access to resources and rehabilitation measures from more than one authority.ConclusionsCooperative work combined with the use of MI and flexible case management seem to promote an increased trust between officials from different authorities and participants, which in the study is conceptualized as bonding and bridging social capital (between officials) and linking social capital (between officials and participants). The organizational problems combined with the relatively large differences in approaches between the project and regular practice obstructed implementation, where the authorities involved did not appear to be ready for implementing methodologies that require organizational restructuring.

The Case for ‘Trust Awareness’ as a Key Soft-Skill for Peacekeepers

This article uses the case study of the unifil mission in South Lebanon to explore the role of trust in facilitating or obstructing inter-organizational cooperation and local ownership in a traditional UN peacekeeping mission. Peacekeeping is distinct from many other forms of military engagement in the level of cooperation it requires, not only between different national military contingents, but between militaries and international police and civilian staff, personnel from local institutions and municipalities, and local communities. This article argues that the inter-organizational cooperation necessary for effective interoperability will not happen unless there is trust between the militaries working together. Equally, local ownership is not possible unless local populations trust peacekeepers to be impartial. However, this soft skill – awareness of the role of trust and how to engender it – is not included in pre-deployment training for military personnel. We outline the soft skill of ‘trust awareness’, including a typology of trust relevant for peacekeeping, and ‘trust mechanics’- practical actions and behaviors that foster trust.

Open Innovation and Team Leaders’ Innovation Traits

Open innovation has transformed internal novel resource allocation and facilitated diverse interorganizational cooperation models. Previous studies have investigated open innovation archetypes and their formation. However, most researchers have neglected the crucial role that team leaders play in integrating internal and external resources and connecting creative ideas in open innovation. This study investigated the influence of open innovation archetypes and team leaders’ innovation traits on team performance. On the basis of the literature review, the analytical hierarchy process was applied to construct a framework for assessing and selecting team leaders in open innovation. The analysis was completed based on samples from 45 valid respondents (88% return rate) in Taiwan’s high-tech industry. The study results suggested that innovation knowledge is the most crucial innovation criterion for a leader, particularly core knowledge and advanced knowledge. Among the various sub-criteria, extrinsic motivation was the second most important sub-criterion. Leaders with strong innovation motivations are suitable to lead inbound open innovation projects.

Activation, medicalisation and inter-organisational cooperation in health insurance – implications for frontline social work in Sweden

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on tensions between activation principles and medicalisation in the Swedish sickness insurance and its implications for frontline caseworkers in Social Security Agencies and Public Employment Services. The right to sickness cash benefits has become stricter and more conditioned upon the person’s work ability and employability. The paper describes recent policy changes towards activation and stricter entitlement criteria for sickness benefits policy and explores the consequences of such new activation policies in terms of changed work modes for caseworkers dealing with long-term sick people’s return-to-work process. It is concluded that on the one hand frontline work contains a significant portion of discretion and professional assessment of work abilities, and on the other hand rule-bound administrative work. Furthermore, frontline workers need to apply organisational professionalism as inter-organisational cooperation is required in order to support long-term sick people to return-to-work. Medicalisation of ill-health, manifested in the right to sickness benefits has not been substantially circumscribed by new activation policies in the sickness insurance.

Перспективы развития открытых инноваций в управлении проектами

From a management perspective, the organizational change process from closed to open innovations is one of actual problems in an inter-organizational cooperation, because companies need to introduce new organizational methods. In this context, the author proposes to consider project management under the model of open innovations. The article describes the author's approach in the study of project management in open innovation projects and their impact on traditional methods of project management.

Distinguishing the effects of B2B information quality, system quality, and service outcome quality on trust and distrust

Successful business-to-business (B2B) data exchanges can help firms improve inter-organizational cooperation and operational practices, thereby increasing competitive advantage. However, data exchange quality and trust are not assured. Further, although researchers have examined how trust in the exchange partner relates to data exchange system success, both trust and distrust may be important to consider. Using two-factor theory and trust theory, we examine the differential impacts of information quality, system quality, and service outcome quality on trusting and distrusting beliefs. We also study whether trusting and distrusting beliefs have differential influences on relationship commitment and perceived risk. Results from a laboratory experiment show that information quality, a process (i.e., motivating) factor, more strongly influences trusting beliefs than distrusting beliefs, whereas service outcome quality, an outcome (i.e., hygiene) factor, more strongly influences distrusting beliefs. Also, while trusting beliefs has a significantly stronger influence on relationship commitment, trusting and distrusting beliefs have equivalent effects on perceived risk. Implications and ways to expand this research are discussed.

Trust in Effective International Business Cooperation: Mediating Effect of Work Engagement

Objective : This study aims to analyse the relationships between relational competence and its trust-building processes with individuals’ traits considered as psychological antecedents of inter-organizational relationships (IORs), outcomes. We hypothesize that organizational trust-building competence, situational trust, trust propensity, and autonomous motivation of cooperating teams and their managers influence IORs outcomes through work engagement of cooperating people. Research Design & Methods : We addressed 210 managers and 982 employees responsible for inter-organizational cooperation from medium and big companies. As explanatory model we adopted the job resources-demands (JR-D) model. Correlation, regression, mediation analyses with bootstrapping, and structural equations modelling (SEM) were used. Findings: Our analyses confirmed positive role of both organizational competences and psychological states of individuals, as valuable mediators in translating the potential of personal traits of teams and managers into IORs outcomes. Implications & Recommendations: As both psychological variables of people responsible for the course of IORs and relational competences of organizations play a vital role in reaching outcomes in IORs attention should be paid simultaneously to both aspects. Our findings highlight the necessity for interdisciplinary research in the field of IORs. Contribution & Value Added: We expose the multilevel and multifactor character of relationships between the antecedents of firms success in IORs, with the use of relationships theory in organization science, and theories proposed by psychology of work and organization.

Problems and Countermeasures of Local Emergency Management in China

Local government is the primary perception and responder in emergency management, and their ability to deal with emergencies and the response to the level of good or bad, is directly related to the organization that can effectively reduce the economic losses caused by the incident and casualties. Therefore, it is very important to find out the problems in the emergency management of the local and take corresponding countermeasures to improve the emergency management level of the local government. Based on the theoretical framework of cross-organizational cooperation and the empirical research, this paper describes the inter-organizational cooperation situation of local government emergency management and finds out the key factors that affect the cross-organization cooperation of local government. Finally, some suggestions are put forward for the emergency management of local government in China.

ROZLICZENIA FINANSOWE JAKO KLUCZOWY ELEMENT MIĘDZYORGANIZACYJNEJ RACHUNKOWOŚCI ZARZĄDCZEJ – STUDIUM PRZYPADKU WSPÓŁPRACY TYPU BANCASSURANCE

The subject of this article is the financial settlements between the entities as a basic element of inter-organizational management accounting. Analysis of the case study covers the cooperation between a Polish bank and an insurance company. It was established that the system of mutual settlements is crucial for inter-organizational cooperation success. According to the Polish law, a bank can act as a policy holder or an insurance agent. The formula of settlements between entities depends on the role played by the bank. It is also noted that the legal form of the bank has a large impact on the relationship between the entities

De la Logistique au Supply Chain Management

From Logistics to Supply Chain Management A Necessity of Transition
 The objective of this article is to reveal the double aspect of supply chain management, both operational and strategic. Through this research work, we will try to make a general approach aiming at an epistemological anchoring of the concept raised, while trying to highlight its movement in order to demonstrate its foundation and its diversity of origin. We carried out at the end of our theoretical analysis, a general study on the theoretical approach of the management of the supply chain according to the criteria resulting from the characteristics of evolution of this concept, bringing a particular lighting to the latter. In relation to our subject, the contribution of our study lies in the contribution of elements aimed at redirecting the reflection around the SCM, and in highlighting the imminence of the transition from standard logistics to an integrated management of logistics, by integrating information and communication technologies, within a logic of inter-organizational cooperation, based on trust, integrity and commitment.

Cooperative networks for innovation: a panorama of the Brazillian scenario between 2003 and 2011

The complexity of the innovation process and the difficulty faced by organizations when performing their required activities to stay active and competitive have led to a large number of companies to work in a network. This network enables the sharing of risks and resources, provides access to information and solutions, and facilitates research and development among other means of innovation with regard to products and processes. In this context, this paper mainly analyzes the setting for interorganizational cooperation for innovation in the Brazilian panorama between 2003 and 2011 based on data from the Innovation Research, known as PINTEC, elaborated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Through documental research, within a qualitative framework, secondary data were used, which were obtained from the PINTEC reports on cooperation among companies in Brazil, to construct a panorama of the cooperative scenario during the selected timeframe. The analysis revealed that, for the analyzed timeframe, Brazilian companies had most of their cooperative activities with the public with whom they maintain direct contact, such as their clients or consumers and suppliers. Furthermore, it revealed that actors such as universities or research institutes are not considered to be important for cooperative relationships or as information sources. As such, it can be inferred that cooperative activities for innovation are incipient and are not considered as strategic activities by organizations in the Brazilian panorama.

Network Governance for Dealing with IT-Enabled Interorganizational Cooperation: When Should Network IT - Such as Social Media - Be Used and How to Govern It

IT-based networking trends such as the rise of social media, crowd sourcing, open innovation, and cloud computing enable a profoundly different way of working and collaborating that challenges significantly traditional approaches of companies towards governance, i.e. the mechanisms a company employs to achieving business results and safeguarding information. Standard practices developed with a hierarchical model of the company in mind, are inadequate for providing sufficient correlation between governance mechanisms deployed and results achieved. Popular literature on the subject states that dealing effectively with such new technologies in a business environment requires relinquishing control and subverting to trust. This paper makes the case that deploying successfully new IT-based networking tools rather involves shifting one’s trust from a well-established and well-known governance system based on hierarchy and control towards another governance system, termed in the literature as network governance. This paper assesses when network governance is the better suited governance system. The presented theoretical model helps to understand how companies should use arising new technologies and which tasks are suited for network-driven IT-applications. Furthermore, the model enables to understand how network governance works to achieve business results and to safeguard information exchanges. Opening Up is bedoeld om een betere dienstverlening aan burgers en bedrijven te zoeken door de inzet van social media en open data. Het Opening Up-project startte in oktober 2011 en duurt drie jaar.

Theoretical Framework About Relational Capability on Inter-Organizational Cooperation

The inter-organizational cooperation (IOC) is based on the use of consensual ways to seek a common goal. It requires a strategic vision of organizations to enable purchases and allocate resources to improve the performance and create learning. In addition, IOC may be able to pool resources, skills and values looking for maintaining competitiveness. The organizations must develop ‘Relational Capabilities’ (RC) for their cooperative success. Such skills are learning, involving structural interaction, development of specific assets and cooperative behavior. Authors present a typology of dimensions and characteristics to understanding the construct. From these aspects, the research proposes a theoretical framework for understanding and allowing the assessment of the RC construct, in the IOC. To elaborate it, the studies mentioned above were regrouped by similarities, in the pursuit of joint and complementary, to develop a new framework of components from the dimensions proposed. The results were five dimensions: coordination, cultural, knowledge, technology and coadaptation, which were formed by components. It is possible to believe that the evaluation of RC in inter-organizational relationships can identify factors that influence the success of alliances that should be improved or developed by empirical disclosure of the results. Therefore, the partnership objectives are met as full as possible.

A Meta-Model of Inter-Organisational Cooperation for the Transition to a Circular Economy

The transition to a circular economy bodes well for a future of environmentally sustainable growth and economic development. The implications and advantages of a shift to a circular economy have been extensively demonstrated by the literature on the subject. What has not been sufficiently investigated is how this paradigm can be enabled through the inter-organisational cooperation among different business enterprises. In order to illustrate this point, in this paper we aim to contribute to the circular economy debate by describing and discussing such a meta-model of inter-organisational cooperation. The present study is therefore based on the analysis of three cases from an equal number of industries, from which we identified factors of potential impact for the stimulation of cooperation in a circular economy perspective. Last, but not least, we discuss the relations between the case studies and try to formulate all possible implications for both managers and research.

Managing stormwater for urban sustainability: an evaluation of local comprehensive plans in the Chesapeake Bay watershed region

This study uses a developed plan coding protocol in evaluating the quality of 76 comprehensive plans to examine whether local comprehensive plans have adequately integrated the concepts of sustainable stormwater management. The Chesapeake Bay watershed was chosen for the investigation because degraded stormwater runoff from nearby urban and suburban jurisdictions have critically polluted the watershed. The findings indicate that the majority of local governments have not sufficiently incorporated the sustainable stormwater management principles into their comprehensive plans. Five plan components (factual basis, goals and objectives, inter-organizational cooperation, policies, tools and strategies, and implementation) appear weak in realizing the concepts. The current study concludes by providing policy implications and recommendations to increase awareness and understanding of sustainable stormwater management concepts and to produce better implementation plans that integrate stormwater, ecosystem, and environmental planning comprehensively.

Internationalization of companies in industrial clusters: a study of medical, dental and hospital supply industries in Ribeirão Preto – SP

A trend, both national and international, has been identified in academic research, as well as in business and government. Micro, small and medium sized companies have sought to organize strategic networks of inter-organizational cooperation to be more competitive in their markets or even ensure survival in face of fierce competition arising from globalization. This research investigated relations of the internationalization process that allow these companies to cooperate in industrial clusters and local productive arrangements as opposed to penetration of individual companies in international markets. The method of case study was used to carry out this research. Results show that these companies are very much in favor of the internationalization process, and that this center may now be characterized as an exporter. Interorganizational cooperation was cited by SEBRAE–SP as extremely important not only for survival of companies monitored, but also for their entry into international markets and increased exports.

Supply chain information sharing: challenges and risk mitigation strategies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how managers perceive risks associated with sharing information with trading partners, and how they attempt to mitigate them. Design/methodology/approach In this exploratory New Zealand study, qualitative research was conducted involving semi-structured interviews with boundary spanning managers who are responsible for inter-organizational interfaces. Multiple case studies in different industries are used to highlight managers’ perceptions of risks in data exchange process throughout the supply network, and their underlying reasoning. Findings Managers perceive several types of risks when exchanging information across external supply chain interfaces, and adopt different approaches to handling them. The research also reinforces the vital role played by interpersonal relationships and trust as key enablers of inter-organizational cooperation. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on a small sample of 11 case companies based in a single New Zealand province, thereby potentially restricting generalizability. Future work could usefully extend the sample size in order to investigate the correlations between firm sizes, levels of trust, and degrees of data integration within particular industry sectors. Practical implications The findings will help managers understand and evaluate different types of risks in the data exchange process, and enable them to make better decisions that enhance information sharing and supply chain performance. Originality/value Perceived information sharing risks are peculiar to the individual actors, and as such need to be mitigated through changes to their socially constructed perceptions. This work extends the literature on understanding the various dimensions of inter-organizational information sharing.

The role of performance measurement in developing industrial services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine inter-organisational cooperation in delivering maintenance services, focusing on the level of maturity of this cooperation and the current role of performance measurement in evaluating its effectiveness. It also determines how performance measurement should be developed to support the needs of networked maintenance. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical evidence is based on two cases of networks operating in the field of industrial maintenance. The first network operates in the energy industry, while the second operates in the mining industry. Both networks consist of machine supplier companies, performance partner companies and system supplier companies. A total of seven companies participated in workshops and interviews in 2013-2014. Findings – As a result of the study, suggestions for improving the performance measurement of service value in maintenance are presented and a framework is offered that meets the needs of the customer, service provider and equipment provider. The significant innovation of the research is its combination of network, service and value perspectives in performance measurement by presenting a framework for measuring created value of cooperation. Originality/value – The literature calls for new measurement models and frameworks that support the new management challenges. This research creates a framework for practical applications. The framework helps to identify possible development needs and increases the understanding of what is required when cooperation in a maintenance network deepens, moving from machine partner towards value partner.

IMPROVING INNOVATION CAPABILITIES BY COOPERATION: EXAMINING EFFECTS OF CORE NETWORK MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND RELATIONAL MECHANISMS IN THE INDUSTRIAL GOODS SECTOR

For companies, cooperation represents a way to innovate more effectively. Within this respect, past literature stresses the importance of core network management functions and relational mechanisms for the effectiveness of interorganisational cooperation. However, it is still unclear whether and how core network management functions and relational mechanisms improve a firm’s innovation capability from interorganisational cooperation. Based on data of 154 industrial companies, the results from structural equation modelling provide evidence that core network management functions significantly enhance innovation capability improvement of individual firms by interorganisational cooperation. Furthermore, both formal and informal relational mechanisms partially mediate the impact of core network management functions on innovation capability improvement. With regard to informal relational mechanisms, companies should foster trust, guarantee equal power distribution and ascribe high importance to their cooperation. With regard to formal relational mechanisms, companies should provide organisational support to their cooperation, continuously share knowledge with their partners and also meet and communicate on regular basis.

The joint R&D project: The case of the first Brazilian microcontroller chip

The interorganizational cooperation, through joint efforts with various actors, allows the high-tech companies to complement resources, especially in R&D projects. Collaborative projects have been identified in many studies as an important strategy to produce complex products and services in uncertain and competitive environments. Thus, this research aims at deepening the understanding of how the development dynamics of a collaborative R&D project in an industry of high technology occur. In order to achieve the proposed objective, the R&D project of the first microcontroller in the Brazilian semiconductor industry was defined as the object of analysis. The empirical choice is justified by the uniqueness of the case, besides bringing a diversity of actors and a level of complementarity of resources that were significant to the success of the project. Given the motivation to know who the actors were and what the main forms of interorganizational coordination were used in this project, interviews were carried out and a questionnaire was also made, besides other documents related to the project. The results presented show a network of nine actors and their roles in the interorganizational collaboration process, as well as the forms of social and temporal overlapping, used in the coordination of collective efforts. Focusing on the mechanisms of temporal and social integration highlighted throughout the study, the inclusion of R&D projects in the typology for interorganizational projects is proposed in this paper, which was also proposed by Jones and Lichtenstein (2008).