Inter-organizational Cooperation Research Articles

Networks, ownership and productivity does firm age play a moderating role?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how inter-firm cooperation and firm age moderate the relationship between family ownership and productivity.Design/methodology/approachWe first estimate the total factor productivity (TFP) of a large sample of Italian firms observed over the period 2010–2018 and then apply a Poisson random effects model.FindingsTFP is, on average, higher for non-family firms (non-FFs) than for FF. Furthermore, inter-organizational cooperation and firm age mitigate the negative effect of family ownership. In detail, it is found that belonging to a network acts as a moderator in different ways according to firm age. Indeed, young FFs underperform non-FF peers, although the TFP gap decreases with age. In contrast, the benefits of a formal network are high for older FFs, suggesting that an age-related learning process is at work.Practical implicationsThe study provides evidence that FFs can outperform non-FFs when they move away from Socio-Emotional Wealth-centered reference points and exploit knowledge flows arising from high levels of social capital. In the case of mature FFs, networking is a driver of TFP, allowing them to acquire external resources. Since FFs often do not have sufficient in-house knowledge and resources, they must be aware of the value of business cooperation. While preserving the familiar identity of small companies, networks grant FFs the competitive and scale advantages of being large.Originality/valueDespite the wide but ambiguous body of research on the performance gap between FFs and non-FFs, little is known about the role of FFs’ heterogeneity. This study has proven successful in detecting age as a factor in heterogeneity, specifically to explain the network effect on the link between ownership and TFP. Based on a representative sample, the study provides a solid framework for FFs, policymakers and academic research on family-owned companies.

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT SUCCESS: THE ROLES OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND SELF-EFFICACY

Transformational leaders must constantly monitor their environments to identify and develop significant internal and external exposure to multiple points of view. Transformational leaders serve as role models for bridging organizational boundaries and proactive outreach to external stakeholders to communicate information, develop inter-organizational cooperation, establish coalitions, and harness resources. The major goal of this article is to examine the dynamics that drive organizational project success, specifically the impact of transformational leadership on external and internal social capital in management teams. This research analyzed transformational leadership and project success relationships in Pakistan’s construction industry setting along with the moderating role of the project manager subordinate’s social capital and the mediating role of the project manager subordinate’s self-efficacy. The data were collected from196 subordinates of project managers of different private organizations. Data were examined through correlation, regression, and the Hayes model through SPSS. According to the results, transformational leadership is positively associated with project success and substantially associated with social capital. Additionally, self-efficacy is positively associated with transformational leadership and project success, and it mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and project success. Social capital moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and project success, according to additional findings. This study sheds light on the relationship between transformational leadership and self-efficacy in the context of project success. 

The dark side of social relationships – the context of the video game industry

Abstract Paper’s objectives The paper aims to explore the negative impacts of social relationships (SR) on business activity. As a research context, the video game industry (VGI) and the video game developers’ (VGDs) relationships are analyzed. Design/methods 17 semistructured in-depth interviews and 1 focus group interview with Polish VGDs were conducted. Findings (1) support for five negatives of SR previously discussed in the literature (2) recognition of the four original negatives (i.e., employee turnover, buying up employees, inefficiency/termination of interorganizational cooperation, and confidential information leakage); and (3) recognition of the harmful results of SR as an industry-dependent issue. Originality/value (1) Analyzing the negative consequences of SR for business, which is less frequently considered compared to the positive consequences of these relationships for business; (2) identifying dark sides previously unidentified in the literature; and (3) using the VGI as the research context.

Influência dos custos de troca e da dependência de recursos na cooperação interorganizacional

Abstract Purpose: This article analyzes the influence of switching costs and resource dependence on interorganizational cooperation between contractors (buyers) and transport companies (sellers). Originality/value: The management accounting literature has traditionally focused on intraorganizational controls. However, researchers have a growing interest in applying management accounting elements in the interorganizational scope. This study contributes to the literature on interorganizational relationships by presenting possible evidence of the relationship between resource dependence, switching costs, and interorganizational cooperation between contractors and transport companies. Design/methodology/approach: This quantitative study surveyed the perception of professionals from food and beverage sector companies about the transport companies they contract. A total of 120 professionals participated in the study, and the Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) technique was used to analyze the structural model. Findings: The relational and procedural dimensions of switching costs and resource dependence influence interorganizational cooperation positively. A total mediation of resource dependence was found in the relationship between procedural switching costs and interorganiza-tional cooperation. The results showed that switching costs and resource dependence are antecedents of interorganizational cooperation between the firms surveyed and the transport companies they contract. As for social and managerial implications, this study offers managers a deeper understanding of the importance of switching costs and resource dependence and the impacts of these factors on interorganizational cooperation.

Do organisations' aims affect entrepreneurial orientation and inter-organisational cooperation A report on Polish cooperatives and for-profit enterprises

Do organisations' aims affect entrepreneurial orientation and inter-organisational cooperation A report on Polish cooperatives and for-profit enterprises

Health product innovation and circular economy: A case study of inter-organisational cooperation in the development of a new firm

Technological renewal is increasingly complex and costly, which makes it difficult for new firms to be able to develop their innovation activities in isolation. Many of the product innovation requirements are not completely available inside firms, and so they need to form cooperative relationships with other organisations to make up for the shortages in resources and capacity. Through analysis of a case study, the aim is to understand the inter-organisational cooperation relationships established by one firm in the use, as a raw material, from another firm's activity waste – coffee dregs. This type of innovative cooperation also involved simultaneously a university and an innovation research centre in the development of a new product in the health field. It provides an example of circular economy in the context of an innovative firm's initial development, something that could inspire academics and business-people who focus their work on sustainability, innovation and inter-organisational cooperation topics, where the diversity of relationships has not yet been studied in the consulted literature. Several semi-structured interviews were carried out with representatives of the focal company and other cooperating organisations, in addition to secondary data collected from each one. From content analysis method, the results show mutual advantages, locally and nationally, in establishing cooperative relationships to develop an innovative product based on sustainability principles. Still based on the case study, six major topics were identified: (1) sustainability; (2) planning the firm's activity in the medium and long-term; (3) product innovation; (4) university-firm relationship; (5) protecting industrial property, and (6) community benefits resulting from the cooperation. Based on these topics, an innovative model is proposed, as well as presenting the contributions of this pioneering study to theory and practice. Future lines of research are indicated to guide possible empirical studies to carry out a posteriori.

Accountability in healthcare in the Netherlands: A scoping review.

For better serving people's complex needs the subsequent movement to person-centred integrated care, requires inter-organisational cooperation and service provision by domain-overarching networks and alliances. In the development to these networks, it is relevant to explore which accountability approaches are appropriate for local inter-organisational healthcare governance. Therefore, in a scoping review we studied the current state of knowledge and practice of accountability in healthcare in the Netherlands. We found that two of the included 41 studies show characteristics of accountability towards healthcare with characteristics of integration care components, such as integration of services with accompanying accountability arrangements and development of networked accountability. The first studies are found in the literature which report on accountability in integrated care. With this we add to the international discussion about accountability as an aspect of integrated care governance, by providing insight into the current state of art of accountability in Dutch healthcare.

Program Providers’ Perceptions of Restorative and Transformative Justice in the Context of Domestic Violence Offender Treatment in North Carolina

ABSTRACT Restorative justice (RJ) and other innovative approaches are increasingly being considered in lieu of traditional legal responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. This formative qualitative study investigated the perspectives of 29 North Carolina-based domestic violence intervention program (DVIP) providers, domestic violence service program providers, and North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence staff members regarding RJ and transformative justice (TJ) in the context of DVIP programming. Participants had mixed opinions about integrating RJ and TJ practices into current offender treatment and cited structural and organizational barriers to adoption. Simultaneously, they emphasized the cruciality of expanding inter-organizational networks and uncoupling offender treatment from the legal system. Participants cited increased inter-organizational cooperation and community involvement as critical steps in modifying offender treatment to include more restorative principles. Policies and institutional practices that endorse RJ and TJ may improve the effectiveness and transformational capability of offender treatment and increase healing for survivors.

Joint programme quality practice in the European Higher Education Area

The developments of joint study programmes and their quality practice in the European Higher Education Area are studied. Such programmes are subject to the environment of institutional complexity. Guided by a multi-level approach and the institutional work framework of analysis, the research demonstrates how a particular quality practice is co-created and maintained by the means of policy work, inter-organisational cooperation and everyday work. The relational nature of quality practice is driven by a recursive interaction of processes, events and activities at macro-meso-micro levels. The joint programme quality practice is tied to the concept of fitness-for-purpose with focus on value-added and innovation. The situated nature of quality work is explicated through the empirical account of day-to-day activities and the practical-evaluative agency of joint programme staff. The idealised value of ‘jointness’ in curriculum integration and joint degree award, and quality evaluation culture are addressed with organisational adaptations in a cross-border context.

Inter-organizational collaboration after institutional reform in China: A perspective based on the revision of the emergency plan

In an era marked by increasingly complex risks and extreme disasters, nations are progressively leaning towards inter-organizational collaboration as a means to adapt and respond effectively. Guided by the principles of holistic governance and comprehensive emergency management, the establishment of comprehensive coordination institutions has emerged as a vital strategy for enhancing a country’s emergency response capabilities. Nevertheless, the transformation of inter-organizational cooperation networks following institutional reform remains shrouded in ambiguity. This research, employing a blend of quantitative and qualitative analyses within a network theory framework, delves into the shifts within inter-organizational cooperation networks subsequent to institutional reform. By scrutinizing the evolution of emergency plan networks at provincial, municipal, and county levels before and after China’s institutional reform and drawing insights from emergency plan revision personnel, this study unveils a noteworthy trend. Specifically, the inter-organizational collaboration network in China’s emergency management sector has gravitated towards a unified command model, fostering heightened cross-functional cooperation and optimizing network structure. The findings of this study not only shed light on the post-reform dynamics of inter-organizational cooperation networks in China but also offer valuable insights for other countries and regions seeking to develop effective emergency management systems. As the global landscape continues to evolve, understanding and adapting to these changes in network dynamics becomes imperative for bolstering disaster response capabilities worldwide.

Formation of an Environmentally-Oriented System for Sustainable Economic Security in the Context of Inter-Organizational Agricultural Cooperation

Objective: The paper aims to analyze and develop a sustainable environmentally-oriented system of economic security in the inter-organizational cooperation of agricultural enterprises.   Methods: The study utilizes the method of indicators and expert assessment of qualitative parameters under the proposed model of an environmentally-oriented system.   Results: The study proposes an innovative approach to ensuring environmental safety in the agriculture sector to achieve the goals of environmental sustainability. When implemented, the environmentally-oriented system brings about an improvement in economic security indicators within the framework of inter-organizational interaction.   Conclusion: For agricultural enterprises, the introduction of the socio-environmental-economic system translates into lower production costs, higher environmental and social responsibility, higher credibility with consumers, and the creation of a line of environmentally friendly products. As a result of the development of the concept of sustainable development of inter-organizational cooperation initiated by the growth of competitiveness, the intercompany level realizes the positive potential of impact on the company's activities through the improvement of indicators of the level of the environmentally-oriented system of economic security and, consequently, the overall level of economic security.

Enabling Historical Thinking through Interorganizational Cooperation

ABSTRACTThis poster problematizes selected presentations and outcomes of an IFLA satellite conference on the history of professional organizations of librarians and information scientists. Representatives from organizations, including ASIST and library associations around the world from four continents (Europe, North America, Asia, Africa) will meet at the Mundaneum in Mons, Belgium. The theme of the conference is “Preserving our origins: Approaches to the organization, curation, and historiography of the record of national and international organizations in libraries, information, and documentation.”An irony within information science is that its many professional associations often fail to identify and preserve their own history. Their work is documented, but often not well preserved, and hidden from a wider audience. Born digital materials are especially vulnerable to loss (Neal, 2015). This poster identifies problems and best practices in managing the documents of historical value of volunteer‐led associations and invites ASIST members to contribute to the historical work of the association.The goal is to identify common problems in preserving association histories. The poster will present several projects discussed at the IFLA satellite conference, as well as proposed ways forward that will advance historical work for the information professions.

Entrepreneurial Learning in Higher Education: Perceptions, Realities and Collaborative Work from the Stakeholder Point of View

Abstract In recent years, Portuguese universities have diversified their strategies for the promotion of entrepreneurial education among (under/post) graduates, both through formal education and non- formal and informal activities. Indeed, Higher Education Institutions can provide entrepreneurial learning opportunities for students, stimulating new attitudes and behaviours towards entrepreneurship. In terms of non-formal and informal learning, various types of activity are of particular significance, and include entrepreneurship promotion and skills-based training, as well as monitoring of the development of ideas and projects. These activities are undertaken by various higher education stakeholders and key-actors, who contribute to the construction of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and increase entrepreneurial spirit in (under/post) graduates. The research reported here is based on the main findings gathered from the ongoing project “Entrepreneurial Learning, Cooperation and the Labour Market: Good Practices in Higher Education (POAT-FSE)”, focusing particularly on the results of a survey questionnaire completed by a diverse sample of entities linked to Portuguese public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and working to promote non-formal and informal entrepreneurial activities, as well as a set of case studies carried out regarding examples of best practice in Portuguese Higher Education. In doing so, this paper aims to highlight the importance of non-formal and informal learning, and to contribute to reflection on the added value of inter-organizational cooperation and collaborative work.

Cooperation between international organizations: Demand, supply, and restraint

Regime complexity characterizes the international system, as many international organizations (IOs) overlap in membership and competencies at the same time. Unmanaged overlaps endanger the effectiveness of IOs. Inter-organizational cooperation can mitigate such negative consequences. However, a novel dataset reveals that not all overlapping IOs cooperate with each other and the institutionalization of cooperation agreements varies. Why do some but not all overlapping IOs opt for cooperation agreements, and why do their designs vary? The analysis of a demand–supply–restraint model shows that increased exposure to overlaps creates a demand for IOs to reach cooperation agreements and for their strong institutionalization. States respond more favourable to the supply of cooperation agreements when they are used to international cooperation and internal authority-delegation. The restraint component underscores that IOs are less inclined to cooperate when ideological differences and power differentials between them are greater and that IOs choose highly institutionalized cooperation agreements when their ideological differences are limited.

Unveiling the cooperation dynamics in the photovoltaic technologies’ development

Cooperation studies have supported the understanding of possible technological development strategies adopted in the Research and Development (R&D) departments. This article introduces an approach associating Social Network Analysis and Salton measure to expand the analysis of inter-organizational cooperation networks. This approach was used in 37,122 patent families of photovoltaic (PV) technologies applied between 1998 and 2017. The results showed that patent assignees prioritize their developments exclusively in their internal R&D areas. It has been observed that closed innovation is more prevalent than open innovation, given the lower proportion of technologies developed in collaboration. When there is cooperation, they prioritize cooperation relations between organizations of the same nationality. Small companies have greater cooperation intensity than large ones because they are more dependent on the innovation ecosystem and seek growth and support for their technological development by partnerships. The intensity of this cooperation is classified as incipient, but smaller organizations have a unilateral dependence on the relationship, which is a clear definition of dominance in cooperative relations. The results regarding the intensity of cooperation and the mapping of these networks did not indicate different actors who assumed more significant roles, whether in terms of constancy, centrality or intermediations of these relations. The findings can support strategic decisions on R&D, prioritization of investments, identification of potential partnerships (or competitors) for technological development. Additionally, they can contribute to the definition of public policies based on promoting the development and use of PV technologies.

Sustainable Development of Agricultural Enterprises with an Active Environmental Stance: Analysis of Inter-Organizational Management Accounting

Objective: The purpose of the research is to investigate the concept of system sustainability in the framework of inter-organizational management accounting with particular attention to the environmental sustainability of agricultural enterprises. The study is aimed at researching the factors affecting the stability of the cooperative, understanding the mechanism for achieving sustainability, and developing an adaptive system of management accounting for environmental costs.   Methods: The research relies primarily on conceptual and theoretical analysis. In addition, it attempts to develop an adaptive system of management accounting with a special emphasis on environmental costs.   Results: A form for reporting on environmental costs adapted for companies with an active environmental stance and participants in inter-organizational cooperation is developed. The form is designed to account for environmental costs by type of activity, an example of which is livestock production. The study also emphasizes the need to adapt the range of products to the changing requirements for organic food, diversification of production activities, and a focus on green investments.   Conclusion: Responding to the requirements of global trends and progress, producers should diversify their production activities and develop fundamentally new products. Agricultural producers should become a promising industry for investment with an emphasis on green investment.

Relational Approach to Secrecy in Inter-organizational Cooperation: Overcoming Boundary Paradox

Relational Approach to Secrecy in Inter-organizational Cooperation: Overcoming Boundary Paradox

Investigating How Managers Shape Risk Understandings to Catalyze Inter-organizational Cooperation (WITHDRAWN)

Investigating How Managers Shape Risk Understandings to Catalyze Inter-organizational Cooperation (WITHDRAWN)

Technological Upgrade in Emerging Markets: The Importance of Interorganizational Cooperation for Product and Process Upgrades

Considering the relevance of different market partners and research partners with which companies can cooperate for innovation, we wonder whether cooperation with such partners is essential for the technological upgrade of products and processes. Therefore, as our main aim, we propose to analyze the importance of cooperating with market and research partners to technologically upgrade products and processes in an emerging market. To do this, we used data from the Brazilian national innovation survey stratified by sectors of the economy. The data analysis technique adopted for this study was panel data. Our results add to the existing studies on the importance of considering the effects of different partners on types of upgrades (product and process) that are relevant to a technological upgrade in emerging countries. Furthermore, this research demonstrated which kind of partnership is the most suitable for each type of upgrade.

Virtues and Perils of Forum-Shopping in European Security

ABSTRACT A prominent characteristic of contemporary global governance is simultaneous involvement of multiple regional and international organisations in governing a policy issue. When these organisations overlap without established hierarchy and differentiation between them, their member states can choose those organisations that are most favourable for their interests. Existing studies often approach this forum-shopping strategy as an opportunistic behaviour that prevents international cooperation. However, using insights from international relations and law scholarships, this article argues that a broad notion of forum-shopping is insufficient to account for the multiple and complex effects of forum-shopping on international cooperation. By examining the EU and NATO member states’ strategies in these two organisations’ overlapping crisis management operations, this article shows that the implications of forum-shopping for interorganisational cooperation depend on the type of forum-shopping taking place. As the analysis suggests, multiple and overlapping venues of governance can create opportunities for international cooperation when these venues are used based on their practical rather than political aspects.