Relacionamentos interorganizacionais são complexos e multifacetados, por sua natureza não apenas econômica, mas social e cultural. Por sua vez, estratégias de Marketing de Relacionamento não apenas possibilitam vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, mas podem interferir nos sistemas de símbolos e significados de organizações diferentes, através da frequência e qualidade das interações e pela existência de confiança, comprometimento, cooperação e aprendizados comuns. Considerando os fundamentos e práticas do Marketing de Relacionamento, o Marketing como área de fronteira dentro das organizações e as características e processos atinentes à Cultura Organizacional, este estudo teve como propósito analisar a contribuição dos relacionamentos interorganizacionais, especificamente entre fornecedores e clientes, nas suas transformações culturais organizacionais. Assim, tendo uma revisão literária na qual se abordaram a Cultura Organizacional, o Marketing de Relacionamento e as fronteiras organizacionais, foi efetuado um estudo qualitativo de casos múltiplos. Participaram da pesquisa funcionários e intermediários de canais de marketing de uma empresa moveleira (intitulada Empresa M) e de uma empresa de prestação de serviços financeiros (intitulada Empresa S). Foram realizadas quarenta e seis entrevistas em profundidade e uma observação, em quatro fases de pesquisa: a primeira e a terceira fases na Empresa M (vinte e seis entrevistas e uma observação), e a segunda e quarta na Empresa S (vinte entrevistas). A análise de dados utilizada foi a baseada na grounded theory. Os resultados indicam a importância da confiança, do comprometimento, da cooperação e dos processos de aprendizagem nas transformações das culturas organizacionais envolvidas; a importância destas dimensões na continuidade dos relacionamentos e na redução dos conflitos de papel dos interfaceadores; o papel da rotatividade e dos símbolos e significados não compartilhados em enfraquecer essas dimensões e respectivas relações. Por fim, evidenciam a existência de uma cultura interorganizacional, um sistema de símbolos e significados partilhados, por grupos ou indivíduos de organizações diferentes, de forma transitória ou específica a determinadas questões (perspectiva cultural da fragmentação). / Interorganizational relationships are complex and multifaceted, by its nature not only economic but social and cultural. In turn, Relationship Marketing strategies not only allow sustainable competitive advantages, but can influence the systems of symbols and meanings of different organizations, through the frequency and quality of interactions and the existence of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes. Considering the fundamental practices of Relationship Marketing, the boundary characteristics of Marketing in organizations and the characteristics and processes related to organizational culture, this study aimed to analyze the contribution of interorganizational relationships, specifically suppliers and customers, to the changes in organizational cultures. Therefore, considering a literature review in which was addressed Organizational Culture, Relationship Marketing and organizational boundaries, it was made a qualitative multiple-case study. The participants were employees and marketing channels intermediaries of a furniture company (called Company M) and a financial services company (called Company S). Forty-six in-depth interviews and one observation were made, at four phases of research, the first and third phases in Company M, with twenty-six interviews and the observation, and the second and fourth in the Company S, with twenty interviews. The data analysis used was based on grounded theory. The results indicate the importance of trust, commitment, cooperation and learning processes in the changes of organizational cultures considered, the importance of these dimensions in the relationships continuity and boundary spanners’ role conflicts reduction and the role of turnover unshared symbols and meanings in weakening these dimensions and their relations. Finally, demonstrate the existence of interorganizational culture, a system of symbols and meanings shared by groups or individuals from different organizations, on a temporary way or specific to certain issues (culture perspective of fragmentation).

Abstract   This study addresses the research gap on knowledge transfer on a team level, by examining the potential and realized Absorptive Capacity (ACAP) on the receiver's side and potential and realized Disseminative Capacity (DCAP) on the sender's side. The research question and purpose relate to how ACAP and DCAP can aid innovation development teams in reaching their goals and what role social integration mechanisms play in this process. We develop a theoretical framework in which we synthesize existing literature and through which we analyzed the empirical data.   We follow a qualitative method and employ a single case strategy that fits our empirical data and allows to gain an understanding of social dynamics underlying knowledge transfer. The data was collected through interviews in the R&D department of Atlas Copco, a large Swedish multinational corporation that operates in the mining and tunneling industry. From our analysis we conclude that social integration mechanisms can be used in order to lower the gap between potential and realized capacities. This can in turn lead to a higher innovative output of teams.

The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions. The main part of this thesis is based upon empirical data gathered through 71 interviews with Swedish civil and military informants from several uniformed organisations. Four articles have been included in this thesis in order to address the overarching aim. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. A number of aspects that are included in the process of organisational adaption have been identified. One of the tasks is to balance between structuring and improvisation where much is at stake. The other task is to create confidence among the involved actors and contribute in different ways to create a sense of symmetry between partners. Finally, the third task for boundary spanners is to recognise improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context. Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. / BAKSIDESTEXT: Organisational adaption to the environment is a complex area of research, necessitating enquiry into how such adaption may take place. The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions such as disasters and war. The main body of the thesis is based upon interviews with Swedish civil and military informants. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. Their tasks involve balancing between structuring and improvisation, creating confidence among the involved actors and recognising improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context.

Digitalization may have opened up the scope of easy remote interaction among companies, but it has also brought the unwanted baggage of "distance", especially those who have a large number of subsidiaries spread all over the continents. Taking this into consideration, it has been seen that multinational companies (MNCs) who have their subsidiaries around the globe face challenges to share their learnings among them. This means on one side digitalization enables integration efficiently within those who share similarities and also with the stakeholders in the local environment. On the other side, digitalization created a detachment among subsidiaries who are distantly located. Subsidiaries learned new skills and adapted new routines based on their local environment while going through the transition of digitalization. It can be seen that sharing of these learnings between the subsidiaries were impacted due to this transition. But with the MNCs, reaping the benefits of digitalization, they are ready to take the next step of switching somewhat permanently, a hybrid work culture, which includes digitalization of many in-person interactive events and training. The focus of this dissertation is to analyze the challenges MNCs will face while building learning mechanisms especially among those subsidiaries that are distantly located. Along with it the needs that are evolving from within the MNCs have been identified because, if they are attended efficiently it will facilitate to overcome these challenges.