Organizational Boundaries Research Articles

Crowdsourcing of Inventive Activities, AI, and the NIH Syndrome

This study examines how crowdsourcing can support innovation in companies. It focuses on the Not Invented Here (NIH) syndrome—a reluctance to adopt external ideas—that varies depending on which organizational boundaries are considered, such as power, competence, and culture. By analyzing how these boundaries influence resistance to crowdsourced solutions, this study finds that although crowdsourcing brings valuable diversity and insights, many organizations struggle to leverage these effectively. Moreover, with the rise of generative AI, many organizations are increasingly focused on internal data and AI-driven innovation, which further intensifies NIH syndrome by deprioritizing external insights. We discuss why and how companies that have managed NIH syndrome effectively may be better positioned to overcome resistance to AI.

Organizational learning and boundary spanners’ agility in the financial inclusion in Indonesia

This study examines the influence of organizational learning and boundary spanner agility in the bank agent business of Indonesia’s financial inclusion. This study is based on quantitative studies of 325 bank agents in Indonesia. The results of this research strongly show that organizational learning has a significant impact on boundary spanners’ agility to achieve both financial and non-financial performance. This study presents a novel finding that organization learning with a commitment to apply and encourage learning activities and agility with improved responsiveness and resilience boundary spanners can achieve bank agent performance. Organizational learning of bank agents needs to improve commitment to apply and encourage learning activities, always be open to new ideas, and create shared vision and knowledge transfer mechanisms. Organizational agility in bank agents need also to improve the capability to be more responsive and adaptable to culture changes in a volatile environment. This research provides valuable insights to policymakers, banking supervisors, bank top management teams, and researchers on the factors that may improve the effectiveness of the agency banking business to promote financial inclusion. Participating banks in the agent banking business need to set a clear vision, scope, and priority of strategy to encourage organizational learning and agility.

Tab the lab: A typology of public sector innovation labs

Many public sector organizations set up innovation laboratories in response to the pressure to tackle societal problems and the high expectations placed on them to innovate public services. Our understanding of the public sector innovation laboratories’ role in enhancing the innovation capacity of administrations is still limited. It is challenging to assess or compare the impact of innovation laboratories because of how they operate and what they do. This paper closes this research gap by offering a typology that organizes the diverse nature of innovation labs and makes it possible to compare various lab settings. The proposed typology gives possible relevant factors to increase the innovation capacity of public organizations. The findings are based on a literature review of primarily explorative papers and case studies, which made it possible to identify the relevant criteria. The proposed typology covers three dimensions: (1) value (intended innovation impact of the labs); (2) governance (role of government and financing model); and (3) network (stakeholders in the collaborative arrangements). Comparing European countries and regions with regards to the repartition of labs shows that Nordic and British countries tend to have broader scope than continental European countries. Points for practitioners Public sector innovation (PSI) labs can help to approach innovation collaboratively across organizational boundaries. It is, however, necessary in this context to find the setup that best addresses an organization's needs or strategic ambitions. The proposed typology is based on criteria relevant for designing PSI labs. Being able to distinguish the different labs helps practitioners to choose models that fit their purposes and learn from existing labs.

20 Years of Scientific Study on Business Intelligence and Decision-Making Performance: A Bibliometric Analysis

Background: Business intelligence (BI) is an area in which data analytics is applied to generate crucial information supporting business decision-making and has been a significant domain for over three decades. However, there is uncertainty regarding whether investments can effectively improve organizational outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the knowledge generated and disseminated in previous investigations related to the intricate relationship between BI and decision-making performance (DMP) over the past 20 years. Methods: An R-tool namely bibliometrix, which supports suggested workflow for conducting bibliometrics and includes descriptive as well as knowledge structure analysis was used on a dataset containing 1,484 English-language articles published between 2003 and 2023 and indexed in Web of Science databases. Results: The results showed that field study has stabilized over the past three years, signaling a shift in the focus of scholars. However, only a few studies use decision theory and further investigations are required to fully understand how BI impacts DMP both inside and outside organizational boundaries. Conclusion: Based on the results, BI studies tend to be more application-oriented and there is a need to change the emphasis from focusing only on tools to variables such as the role of effective use and competencies that might improve decision quality. Keywords: Business Intelligence, Decision-Making Performance, Decision Quality, Bibliometrics, R-tool.

Making integration happen: managers’ views on multidisciplinary work in Finnish health system

Abstract Background In Finland, a large-scale health and social service reform was implemented in 2023. The structural reform centralised the organising of health and social services from some 200 organisations to 22 wellbeing services counties (WBSC). One goal of the reform was to promote service integration between and within health and social services. The reform offers a unique opportunity for investigating how such change unfolds. This study addresses the integration aspirations of those who are responsible for implementing the change, that is middle managers in WBSCs. We focus on micro and meso levels and explore how the aim of multidisciplinary collaboration is interpreted as part of advancing service integration by middle managers in one newly formed WBSC. Methods The data for this qualitative study were derived from 11 semi-structured interviews with senior and middle managers responsible for various fields of health and social care services in a single WBSC between October 2022 and June 2023. Inductive thematic analysis was applied. Results The managers framed multidisciplinary collaboration very positively and easier to achieve in the new organisation with health and social services united under the same management. The managers acknowledged the need to form collaborative structures (e.g. meetings) and processes at all levels of organisation. Leadership plays a crucial role in creating space for the professionals to form an experience of a shared every-day work. However, previous structures and patterns of work still seemed to limit these endeavours. Tensions between, for example, professional groups or units were left essentially untouched. Multidisciplinary collaboration will serve especially persons with complex and multiple needs and was framed key to cost savings. Conclusions While the structural reform opens a window of opportunity to new collaborative patterns, competing logics and interests as well as power imbalances may hamper the development if not addressed. Key messages • Middle managers had high hopes for multidisciplinary work after the health system reform, including effects on the difficult issues concerning costs and health workforce availability. • While the managers were prepared to promote multidisciplinary work, the prior organisational boundaries and logics hindered integration. Different tensions between stakeholders need more attention.

Red, blue, and green? The association between CEOs' political ideologies and green new product introductions

AbstractNot all firms exhibit the same level of commitment to green new product introductions (GNPIs), yet our understanding of the factors underlying these disparities remains incomplete. Prior research has primarily focused on firm‐level factors, paying little attention to individual‐level antecedents of GNPIs. This imbalance in the GNPI literature contrasts with the broader innovation and general management literature, which displays an ever‐growing interest in the “human side of innovation,” acknowledging the relevance of Chief Executive Officers' (CEOs') political ideologies for organizational outcomes. Addressing this imbalance, our study examines the relationship between CEOs' political ideologies and their firms' GNPIs, along with the conditions that shape this influence. Grounded in social identity theory, our study first argues that the more liberal CEOs are, the more GNPIs their firms are likely to generate and that this association is amplified by CEO power. It then proposes that the more liberal CEOs are, the more likely they are to respond to adverse situations beyond their control (a Republican presidency or lower levels of consumer green sentiment) by initiating more GNPIs. It finally posits that the more liberal CEOs are, the fewer GNPIs they tend to initiate in response to adverse situations for which they are accountable (involvement in sustainability‐related scandals). We integrate data from seven databases into a longitudinal dataset comprising 89 firms and 192 CEOs over the period 2010–2020 to test our theoretical framework empirically. Time‐lagged panel regression analyses strongly support our theoretical arguments. Our findings contribute to the emergence of an individual‐level, microfoundational perspective on sustainable innovations, our knowledge about the organizational implications and boundary conditions of CEOs' political ideologies, and the treatment of multiple identities within social identity theory, especially the relationship between political and occupational identities. The implications of our findings extend to business practitioners, offering valuable insights for CEOs, boards of directors, and investors.

Seeing the Whole Together Through Relational Mapping: A Method for Engaging in Complex Systems Change

Complex global challenges cut across organizational and sectoral boundaries, increasing calls for holistic responses. Seeing the whole across diverse stakeholders is challenging for participants in complex systems, yet doing so is essential for engaging effectively in systems change. A promising new method known as relational mapping, based on relational coordination theory, has been used to facilitate complex systems change. Here, we propose that relational mapping can be applied to help participants (1) see the whole in relation to the parts, (2) share their explicit and tacit knowledge, (3) engage in dialogue across distinct perspectives supported by the map as a boundary object, (4) reduce the impact of power differences, and (5) prepare to co-design interventions from multiple perspectives. This paper presents an illustrative case of relational mapping in the context of public administration in a South Carolina community engaging in complex systems change. Our analysis suggests a set of boundary conditions for the success of relational mapping, including the willingness of participants to seek integrative solutions to a conflict or problem and facilitation that is attentive to differential power and status among stakeholders. We conclude that relational mapping is a powerful, theoretically grounded method that enables the visual assessment of multi-level stakeholder relationships, preparing participants to engage in complex systems change and then present a template for use of relational mapping more broadly.

Social mobility as a driver of employee silence in India: toward a contextualized understanding of silence in emerging markets

PurposeThis paper aims to explore how the context in a dynamically developing country affects employee silence in India.Design/methodology/approachQualitative design involving semi-structured interviews with employees and managers from different sectors in the Mumbai and Delhi areas. An abductive approach was used to analyze the data.FindingsTwo types of social mobility concerns – advancement aspiration and fear of social decline – emerged as salient drivers of silence and can be attributed to a volatile job market, social status markers, transferability of qualification, someone’s socio-economic situation and the overall economic situation. Pathways were specified from social mobility concerns to silence tendencies that are motivated by both low approach and high avoidance.Research limitations/implicationsSocial mobility as a specific factor in the Indian distal context and as a characteristic of emerging markets can motivate silence while organization-related concepts like job satisfaction or commitment may have less predictive value. Propositions that were derived from the interview study need to be validated by deductive research. Generalizability of Indian findings across other emergent markets needs to be shown.Originality/valueTo the organizational behavior (OB) scholarship on silence, this research contributes by identifying antecedents of silence that are situated beyond the organizational boundaries challenging the dominant role of established factors at the team- and organizational level. To the human resource management/employment relations (HRM/ER) scholarship, this research contributes by theorizing psychological processes that link environmental factors to silence behaviors.

Bounded professionalism nexus: HR professionalism within and across organizational boundaries

AbstractEven though the field of human resources is rife with tensions and contradictions, little is known about how HR practitioners experience and navigate these challenges. The impact of these tensions and ambiguities on HR professionalism remains understudied. Using the framework of “bounded professionalism”, this study explores how HR practitioners in business organizations (RBOs) and staffing agencies (RSAs) navigate professional and organizational tensions. Through a qualitative methodology, we conducted 60 semi‐structured interviews with HR practitioners from a variety of organizational settings. By examining the complicated experiences of HR practitioners, we highlight the nuanced ways in which they manage and mitigate professional and organizational tensions. This paper introduces and further develops the concept of “bounded professionalism nexus,” which implies that collaboration between professionals across organizational boundaries may exacerbate the experience of bounded professionalism. Specifically, we identify the triggers and implications of “bounded professionalism nexus”, demonstrating how cross‐border organizational relations contribute to suboptimal performance in both RSAs and RBOs. According to our findings, these tensions are not only prevalent, but also have significant implications for HR professionalism. This study concludes by examining the broader implications of the “bounded professionalism nexus” for HR professionals and offering suggestions for mitigating these tensions.

Governance intricacies in implementing regional shared care records: A qualitative study in the national health service, England.

This study explores the governance intricacies in establishing a large-scale information infrastructure for integrated care within the National Health Service of England. By focusing on the initial 5years of a regional interoperability program, we examine the challenges and dynamics of creating a unified system across organizational boundaries. A longitudinal multi-methods approach was utilized, collecting data through interviews with health and social care personnel involved in project governance, meeting observations, and document analysis. This provided an in-depth understanding of the processes and challenges of developing the regional interoperability program. This study reveals a dynamic negotiation process and evolving governance structures that must continuously adapt to integrate diverse systems. Key findings include challenges in reconciling multiplicity and heterogeneity, the importance of social learning and stakeholder adaptation, and the role of ongoing negotiation and collaborative group construction in implementing interorganizational infrastructures. This study underscores the necessity of continuous adaptation and negotiation among stakeholders in establishing effective governance of integrated care infrastructures. Social learning and active participation play pivotal roles in overcoming the challenges associated with system integration. Strategic insights from this research can guide stakeholders in developing sociotechnical solutions for digital interorganizational infrastructures in integrated care.

Automation in the Maritime Transport System – A Framework for Planning Resilient Operations

Abstract Maritime transport systems (MTS) are becoming increasingly automated, integrated and complex. New technology, automation and autonomous systems will contribute to safer, greener, and more efficient transport systems. However, the advancements pose new challenges, and it is a need to understand and manage the potential brittleness and risks. Uncertainties and the unknown should be prepared for when planning the implementation of new technology. Hence, this paper presents a framework to support the planning for resilient operations when introducing autonomy in a MTS. The framework is based on a resilient approach and is the first draft of a framework being developed within the research project Maritime Resilience Management of an Integrated Transport system (MARMAN). The approach is intended to facilitate a process where MTS actors work systematically to identify challenges, clarify potential future measures, and prepares for integrating automation and autonomy in a system. The method emphasizes the needs for cooperation, coordination and integrated planning across different transport modalities, organizational boundaries and stakeholders. But also between humans and technology, focusing on the different levels of planning (i.e. strategic, tactical and operational), where the main objectives will be to increase resilience by coping with potential critical events. In addition, continuous learning and commitment between actors and how to use the new technology are crucial for enhancing resilience.

Cooperative Learning Through Boundary Spanning: How a Corporate Learning Department Ensures That Trainers and Content Stay Current

Continuous learning is central to ensuring organizations remain innovative and high-performing. Corporate trainers play a critical role in educating and training employees. However, in an era of digital transformation and, more recently, artificial intelligence, trainers need new skills and methods to stay current and facilitate the transformation of the workforce. The skills gap is best filled through cooperative learning with other trainers. However, cooperative learning is hindered by different spatial, organizational, and cultural boundaries that are difficult to overcome. This paper attempts to understand how cooperative learning of trainers can be enhanced through boundary spanning. It examines the case of the corporate learning department of a German high-tech multinational through ethnographic action research by the department manager, including 21 semi-directive interviews and direct observation. Using a grounded theory approach, we explore how the concept, causes, context, contingencies, and conditions of boundary spanning enhance cooperative learning among corporate trainers. The findings show that boundary spanning leads to cooperative learning through pedagogical scaffolding, communities of practice, and a new learning culture. Spontaneous boundary spanning occurs in parallel to guided boundary spanning. Both are made possible by appropriate leadership values and attitudes, trust, flexibility, and dedicated time and capacity. Our paper provides recommendations on the key issues managers face in facilitating boundary spanning and cooperative learning among their employees. We also show how key barriers and risks can be mitigated to enable employees to learn cooperatively with colleagues from different and distant organizational units.

Inter-organizational mobilization in non-hierarchical settings: Bootstrapping information infrastructures for integrated care

In the realm of healthcare digitalization, the advancement of patient-centred care models hinges crucially on the establishment of inter-organizational information infrastructures (IIs): intricate “systems of systems” designed to facilitate efficient data sharing, consolidation, and utilization. However, closed and siloed health information systems often fragment patient data across multiple repositories, resulting in inefficiencies and limitations in inter-organizational access and decision-making at the population level. Bridging these divides demands the integration of loosely coupled information systems within and across organizations. The ongoing evolution of these IIs is intricately shaped by the complex sociotechnical installed base governing their development. It can be difficult to engage potential participants in building and using an II that spans organisational boundaries particularly in contexts marked by diversity of mission, high organizational autonomy and lacking a single authoritative actor. Through a case study in England’s National Health Service, this paper examines the intricate process of mobilizing autonomous organizations to collaborate in developing a shared II for integrated care. In non-hierarchical settings, lacking a clear organizing entity such mobilization requires strategic partnerships and a mix of skills. I introduce the term “collective mobilizer” to represent the collaborative coalition of entities with the capacity to garner sufficient interest among potential constituencies and align visions and resources. By unpicking the role of collective mobilizers, this paper offers insights into the challenges of bootstrapping II development in non-hierarchical contexts and how they may be overcome.

Data sharing practices: The interplay of data, organizational structures, and network dynamics

With the proliferation of data and advanced analytics, organizations are increasingly recognizing the potential value of sharing data across organizational boundaries. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence and systematic frameworks to guide the design of effective data sharing practices. Realizing the full potential of data sharing requires the effective design and implementation of data sharing practices by considering the interplay of data, organizational structures, and network dynamics. This study presents an empirically and theoretically grounded taxonomy of data sharing practices drawing on existing literature and real-world data sharing cases. The subsequent cluster analysis identifies four generic archetypes of data sharing practices, differing in their primary orientation toward compliance, efficiency, revenue, or society. From a theoretical perspective, our work conceptualizes data sharing practices as a foundation for a more systematic and detailed exploration in future research. At the practitioner level, we enable organizations to strategically develop and scale data sharing practices to effectively leverage data as a strategic asset.

Understanding transversal leadership in public organizations: conceptualization and development of a measurement scale

ABSTRACT Public value creation often relies on collective efforts across organizational jurisdictions with leadership playing a central role. However, concepts and measures for understanding whether and how public leaders can influence their own employees to engage in behaviours that support work across organizational boundaries are lacking. As response, the authors propose transversal leadership, which refers to a leader’s attempts to direct, align, and commit staff towards collective efforts with actors outside their own managerial jurisdiction, and develop a useful, valid, and reliable measurement scale that discriminates from existing leadership measures and correlates with expected outcomes.

The Networked Data Lab: lessons from four years of analytical collaboration on common problems in health on social care

ObjectiveThe Networked Data Lab (NDL) is a UK-wide network of analytical teams embedded in the health and care system. Each year, we support five local partners to acquire and link new health and social care datasets on a different topic. The NDL provides insights from this linked data to help UK policymakers improve health and care, leveraging public, patient, and stakeholder engagement to prioritise topics of shared local interest. Approach Now in its fourth year, the NDL has commissioned a Learning Study (LS) to evaluate progress towards its aims. This employs a theory-based approach to test and assess key assumptions about programme impact through a Theory of Change. For the study, semi-structured interviews with analysts and stakeholders at the five NDL sites were conducted to identify factors influencing the programme’s impact. ResultsDrawing on interim LS findings, we will describe the types of impact the programme has achieved, and some of the key barriers and enablers to analytical collaboration across geographic and organisational boundaries. Themes include senior sponsorship; stakeholder input into problem definition; information governance and tools and skills. Themes will be illustrated with case studies drawn from the different NDL topic areas, including children and young people’s mental health and unpaid carers. Conclusions and ImplicationsThe Networked Data Lab shows that data linkages can provide unique insights that local service planners can act on, but highlights a complex set of conditions that need to be met to enable impactful analytics using real-world health and care data.

Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty: Navigating Supply Chain Challenges Through Proactive Risk Surveillance and Mitigation Strategies among SMEs in ASEAN countries

Background Supply chain risk management is crucial for the consumer products industry due to its vulnerability to uncertainties and risks. This study investigates the relationship between supply chain risks and performance among SMEs in the ASEAN countries. Supply chain performance, defined as meeting end-customer demands, involves ensuring commodity availability, on-time deliveries, and maintaining sufficient inventory and capacity across organizational boundaries from raw materials to the final consumer. Methods The study utilized a sample of 385 entrepreneurs from the consumer products industry in ASEAN countries. The research was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to establish the correlation between supply chain performance and risks. Factors related to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) for economic integration and regional trade agreements were incorporated to understand the diverse economic development, infrastructure, and regulatory environments across nations. Results The analysis revealed a strong correlation between supply chain risks and performance. Entrepreneurs in the consumer products industry should collaborate closely with governmental organizations to address the unique challenges posed by regulatory landscapes, cross-border logistics, and geopolitical risks within the ASEAN region. Adapting to cultural nuances and market variations, along with optimizing logistics and infrastructure, are crucial for successful supply chain risk management. Conclusions Effective supply chain risk management significantly enhances the performance of the consumer products industry’s supply chain. Entrepreneurs in this sector should align their strategies with regional and national governments to proactively address issues and mitigate risks. Continuous monitoring and adaptive measures are necessary to handle emerging risks in the dynamic market landscape. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, suggesting that supportive frameworks and policies are necessary to bolster SME capabilities in risk management. By fostering a collaborative environment between the public and private sectors, ASEAN countries can enhance overall supply chain resilience. Future research could explore sector-specific risk management practices and their impact on supply chain robustness, underscoring the imperative for SMEs to adopt proactive and integrated risk management approaches to thrive in a complex and evolving economic environment.

Stakeholders’ views of online surveillance capabilities: a comparative analysis of the debates in UK, Finland and Norway

We examine how stakeholders (n = 74) in the United Kingdom, Finland and Norway perceive security authorities’ online surveillance capabilities, and how these perceptions form patterns transcending national borders and organisational boundaries. Using a Q-methodological approach, we found variation within and between nations that is usually obscured in the polarised public debates. Furthermore, our stakeholders presented areas of consensus not usually apparent in public discourses. We argue for using awareness of this nuance and areas of convergence as platforms on which to build more effective public debates to further principles of deliberative democracy.

Does Sharing Make My Data More Insecure? An Empirical Study on Health Information Exchange and Data Breaches

This paper examines the information security implications of hospitals participating in health information exchanges (HIE). While data security threats may increase when hospitals join HIEs to share data across organizational boundaries, HIEs institute “secure exchange” and promote security practices among participants. Due to these countervailing effects, it is unclear how joining an HIE affects hospitals’ data breach risk. This study seeks to understand the security implications of HIEs from the lens of governance and coordination. We compiled a panel dataset of more than 3,000 hospitals over six years. By leveraging different identification strategies, including difference-in-differences design, matching, and instrumental variables, we found that the likelihood of a hospital experiencing a data breach decreased by more than 35.37 % after joining an HIE. We further show that the effect was more pronounced among HIE member hospitals with more sophisticated clinical IT systems or after HIE security laws were enacted. We discuss the implications for research and practice.

Exploring the barriers, facilitators and needs to use patient outcomes in district nursing care: A multi-method qualitative study.

To provide an in-depth insight into the barriers, facilitators and needs of district nurses and nurse assistants on using patient outcomes in district nursing care. As healthcare demands grow, particularly in district nursing, there is a significant need to understand how to systematically measure and improve patient outcomes in this setting. Further investigation is needed to identify the barriers and facilitators for effective implementation. A multi-method qualitative study. Open-ended questions of a survey study (N = 132) were supplemented with in-depth online focus group interviews involving district nurses and nurse assistants (N = 26) in the Netherlands. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Different barriers, facilitators and needs were identified and compiled into 16 preconditions for using outcomes in district nursing care. These preconditions were summarised into six overarching themes: follow the steps of a learning healthcare system; provide patient-centred care; promote the professional's autonomy, attitude, knowledge and skills; enhance shared responsibility and collaborations within and outside organisational boundaries; prioritise and invest in the use of outcomes; and boost the unity and appreciation for district nursing care. The preconditions identified in this study are crucial for nurses, care providers, policymakers and payers in implementing the use of patient outcomes in district nursing practice. Further exploration of appropriate strategies is necessary for a successful implementation. This study represents a significant step towards implementing the use of patient outcomes in district nursing care. While most research has focused on hospitals and general practitioner settings, this study focuses on the needs for district nursing care. By identifying 16 key preconditions across themes such as patient-centred care, professional autonomy and unity, the findings offer valuable guidance for integrating a learning healthcare system that prioritises the measurement and continuous improvement of patient outcomes in district nursing. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. No patient or public contribution.