This study explores the nature of conflict in virtual communication in the course of inter-organisational collaborations. Conflict appears to exist inherently when organisations cooperate together because each company operates with different goals, norms and values, which are vital considerations for successful business collaborations. Special attention, therefore, needs to be paid to gaining a grounded understanding of conflict in the context of virtual communication in the interorganisational business collaborations of today. This research draws on fieldwork carried out over five months, using a multiple-case study approach, involving four cases of inter-organisational collaborations between a large high-tech corporation in Taiwan and its four supplier companies in Korea. In addition, participant observation was employed as the main method of data collection in this study, which allowed for this researcher to gain rich data in a direct way. The collected data included daily logs based on observations, in addition to interviews and documentation. This resulted in an extensive amount of useful information being gathered, which was analysed, categorised, interpreted, and summarised in relation to theory generalisation. In this inter-organisational research setting, it was found that three patterns of interorganisational conflict, namely: business strategic conflict, cultural conflict and organisational process conflict interact to influence participants’ communication media selection and, in turn, conflict is influenced by the selected media. Moreover, it was found that conflict is expressed in email communication in a stylised way that is significantly different from spoken conversation and it could lead to conflict escalation and the subsequent termination of business collaboration. Based on the research findings, a comprehensive framework was established to describe and explain the interrelations between conflict transformation and computer-mediated communication (CMC) in inter-organisational collaborations.

Audit, inspection and quality assurance are aspects of a broader but rapidly evolving "performance measurement"; which is part of the performance management (PM) in public administration. The effectiveness of PM and its public reporting are not established in all contexts and applications. In some contexts, PM public reporting is used along with other measures such as inter-organisational networks to reform public service provision. In such contexts, how PM reporting help stakeholders in a network? There have been different conceptual frameworks and models explored in the literature that aim to explain how networked governance works. None of the available models, however, addresses the impact of an outside performance measurement tools. The review of literature, on the perspective of inter-organisational network, shows a need to explore more deeply what is going on within the network, and how the network interacts with its boundaries and outside context. Therefore, the overall objective for this research is to propose a conceptual model that can explain the impact of externally reported PM, an example of which is independent mandatory quality assurance (QA), on inter-organisational networks dynamics and outcomes. The research starts by building an ‘initial theoretical conceptual’ model based on theoretically derived influences of PM on the dynamics and outcomes of a network. The research uses qualitative case study strategy, using data from four cases, all linked with national education and training reform initiatives in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Participants representing the four cases were interviewed using semi-structured interview protocol. Data collected were analysed through two-order thematic analyses, and the results were used to revise the initial model and develop a novel conceptual model for this purpose. The results of the analyses contribute to existing theories by proposing four themes, covered by four propositions, in which QA public reporting impacts the network dynamics – namely on accountability, engagement and trust, power and control; and collaborations and cooperation. The impact on the network dynamics may lead to the achievement of some collaborative advantages, after going through the resistance of some collaborative inertias that may exist in the system and context in which network operates. In summary, QA reporting, in the case of this research, is an external variable to the network setting which activates members and offers a medium of change around members, within a network as well as outside it. The researcher introduces the term ‘network catalyst’ to describe the role of QA reporting in this context.

This study investigates the dynamics of inter-organisational collaboration and their role in demand stimulation in the performing arts. While the literature suggested methods and outcomes of collaboration and its role in demand stimulation, recent media reports indicated very few South African Performing Arts Organisations (PAOs) were involved in any form of collaboration. Therefore before the theories on could be tested the reasons behind the limited collaboration in South Africa had to be investigated.An exploratory investigation was conducted in two phases. The first phase focused on collecting the opinions on all aspects of collaboration from strategic decision makers in PAOs to form a set of guidelines for collaboration. In phase two these guidelines were validated by the same strategic makers through a self-administered questionnaire.From the results emerged a set of barriers to and enablers of collaboration. In addition, several contextual factors emerged that greatly impact collaboration and its effectiveness as a marketing tool. The political history of South Africa in particular has created a divide, not only in the performing arts industry but in the audience as well, that makes collaboration extremely difficult. PAOs need to be able to use collaboration to mobilise support from other economic sectors in order to bridge this divide. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Together with the EU2020 goals, set in order to increase sustainability, there is an oncoming storm of electrification. The need of Batteries is growing, but Europe is lacking both production and competence in the area. Unrestricted new establishments, so-called “greenfield” ventures are a growing trend, which are often placed in rural areas where recruitment can be difficult. What follows is the necessary collaboration between the greenfield venture itself and local as well as national government to consolidate enough power and competence so that the parties can complete the task at hand. Collaborating between such different organisations are bound to spark conflict and shed light on organisational differences all the while exploring the benefits of the collaborative venture itself. The aim of this research is to investigate which challenges and opportunities arise during the initial phase of an inter-organisational collaboration for a large-scale recruitment effort. Where the main questions to answer were; What challenges can be identified throughout the collaboration? And, what opportunities arise during this collaboration? In order to investigate this, the case of Northvolt-Västerbotten was selected which is the collaborative project that has been established between the Region Västerbotten (RV, regional government of Västerbotten), Skellefteå Municipality, local employment service and Northvolt. This collaboration was studied through continuous observations of 16 project participants, close day-to-day work with the project manager as well as two rounds of interviews with 5 participants. All of which performed through the eyes of a participating researcher. The research concludes, that entering an inter-organisational collaboration means that resources and knowledge from each actor can be shared. When this collaboration takes part between organisations in the public and private sector it can be of further advantage. Differences, while sometimes hard to manage, can if done so successfully be avoided and turned into opportunities. If you manage to combine private and public actors to create a team with clear communication, established trust and aligned goals you can instead utilise the differences and by doing so save money, time and resources. / Tillsammans med EU’s 2020-mål, satta för att öka focus på hållbarhet, finner vi en ankommande storm utav elektrifiering. Behovet av batterier ökar, men Europa saknar både kompetensen och produktionen utav dem. Obehindrade nyetableringar, eller “greenfield”-satsingar är en ökande trend, dessa är ofta placerade i icke-urbana områden där rekrytering kan vara svår. Vad som följer är det nödvändiga samarbetet mellan nyetableringen och lokala så väl som nationella myndigheter för att samla tillräcklig makt och kompetens för att kunna utföra uppgiften. Samarbete mellan sådana olika organisationer kommer allra troligast att föda konflikter och belysa organisationella skillnader allt samtidigt som de utforskar fördelarna med samarbetet. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilka utmaning och möjligheter som uppstår i uppstartsfasen utav ett inter-organisationellt samarbete för en storskalig rekrytering. Varvid huvudfrågorna att besvara var: • Vilka utmaningar kan identifieras? • Vilka möjligheter uppstår? För att undersöka detta valdes fallet Northvolt-Region Västerbotten ut. Detta är ett samarbetsprojekt som har etablerats mellan Region Västerbotten, Skellefteå kommun, Arbetsförmedlingen och Northvolt. Detta samarbete har studerats genom kontinuerliga observationer utav de 16 deltagande personer, dagligt arbete med projektledaren så väl som två rundor utav intervjuer med 5 deltagare i projektet. Allt genomfört som deltagande forskare. Vi drar slutsatserna att ett inter-organisationellt samarbete innebär att alla medverkande organisationers interna resurser och kunskaper kan utnyttjas gemensamt. När ett sådant samarbete äger rum mellan privata och statligt ägda organisationer kan dessa fördelar bli av extra värde. Skillnader mellan organisationerna, som ibland kan vara svåra att hantera, kan om de hanteras korrekt istället bli till fördelar. Om man kan lyckas att kombinera privata och offentliga organisationer för att skapa ett team med en tydlig kommunikation, etablerat tillförlitlighet och sammanstrålade mål kan man istället utnyttja skillnaderna och på så sätt spara pengar, tid och resurser.

Motivation In the upcoming decades, traditional firms will transition to becoming a more regenerative version, with a socio-ecological purpose at the core of the firm. In this transition phase, regenerative firms, with a focus on impact maximisation of the socio-ecological purpose and traditional firms, with a focus rather on profit maximisation, need to coexist and be resilient somehow. While in the coming decades the number of regenerative firms will grow, it is important to understand how these regenerative firms can enable organisational resilience. Yet, prior research neglects how especially inter-organisational collaboration could enhance the organisational resilience of regenerative firms. Therefore, the context of this study is within the consumer goods industry in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, focusing on regenerative firms. Purpose This study aims to shed light on how inter-organisational collaboration can strengthen the organisational resilience of regenerative firms. The first part of the research will mostly address the question how regenerative firms can strengthen organisational resilience with a focus on the capabilities needed. In addition, the study will demonstrate how regenerative firms approach and use inter-organisational collaboration. Methodology The study, with a qualitative approach, used a multi-case study design. Various people were interviewed, such as CEOs, founders, quality managers, consultants, impact officers, following a semi-structured interview design. For transcription purposes, the interviews were audio-recorded and the results from the interviews were labelled, following an open coding process. The results, with matching open codes, were then connected back to the theoretical framework. Results The results of this study indicated how inter-organisational collaboration is used to strengthen the organisational resilience of regenerative firms. Contradicting prior research about traditional firms, regenerative firms do not fear competition, yet these firms rather achieve system resilience by being resilient as a collective. Regenerative firms realise this by being transparent, absorbing and sharing knowledge to achieve success for the system they are embedded in. Sharing knowledge in a transparent manner and aiming for reciprocity among inter-organisational collaboration actors contributes positively to their system resilience. Thus, inter-organisational collaboration is a powerful tool for regenerative firms to enhance this system resilience and consequently maximising the impact of their collective socio-ecological purpose.

No / Organizations in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector are increasingly collaborating with other organizations to mutually raise overall joint value created. However, literature on inter-organizational collaborations in the NFP sector lacks a clear, empirically proven understanding about which factors drive such joint value creation and whether and how these factors and their effects differ for the two parties involved. Based on the relational view and an analysis of 121 partnership dyads, we identify that some factors governing the successful creation of joint value differ for the two partners while others are relevant to both parties. Those latter factors, in turn, differ in their effects on the respective outcome.

Circular economy (CE) proposes a transition in production and consumption practices that has a key relevance in wood-based industries, since forests are also connected to climate and biodiversity goals. If the bioeconomy is to sustainably suffice the increasing demand in the Nordics, wood-based manufacturing should become more circular. The wood commodity has embedded some circular principles to its production processes, but generally employs a waste management perspective, and research gaps exist on the relationships between actors. Inter-organisational collaboration (IOC) has been presented as key to enable effective circular solutions. While some studies exist in converging IOC and circularity, previous research demand empirical investigations.  This thesis investigates the current state of IOCs for forming and improving circular value chains in wood-based manufacturing, while empirically validating the CE and supply chain collaboration model by Calicchio Berardi and Peregrino de Brito (2021). To this aim, network and IOC theory form the theoretical underpinning. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with Nordic wood-based manufacturing companies.  Findings show that IOCs for the CE can concern material sourcing, side streams, and/or main products, and the nature and extent of these collaborations are explained. Side stream collaborations were strong for companies close to the primary resource, and for those material sourcing IOCs for circularity took the shape of new requirements. Main product collaborations were very diverse and recent, indicating a growing trend in collaborating for circularity. Based on empirical data, a linguistic change from supply chain to value cycles is proposed. The model used is found valid and mostly represented in this study, indicating how these IOCs form and improve. However, a revised version is presented – the CE and value cycles collaboration model – based on empirical findings from this study. The authors then indicate future research streams possibilities and practical implications of the study.

Master of Technology: Public Relations Management in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The aim of this study was to explore the benefits and potential of improved inter-organisational collaboration as compared to non-collaboration between the identified stakeholders in this research. This research established the level of current inter-organisational collaboration and satisfaction between the identified Western Cape Province stakeholders and verified whether this collaboration could be seen as contributing to tourism growth in the region. It also determined how improved inter-organisational collaboration and communication can be achieved to ensure tourism marketing effectiveness. In the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, regional stakeholders formed strategic partnerships to ensure a successful soccer event. The researcher sees such a collaborative approach as limited to major events or projects such as the 2011 bid for the Design Capital 2014. Inter-organisational collaboration is not clearly visible in the destination and tourism marketing of the region and this lack of collaboration has been highlighted. For the purpose of this study, the Resource Dependency Theory of Collaboration was utilised to highlight the inter-dependency between the identified regional stakeholders with vested interest in the Western Cape Province and Cape Town's tourism industry. The researcher conducted qualitative research which is situated in an interpretivist paradigm with its emphasis on experience and interpretation. The qualitative research is seen as being suitable for this research as detailed information has to be sourced through interviews. A qualitative exploratory approach, comprising face-to-face interviews with key informants in the industry was undertaken. The key informants engaged were drawn from a range of organisations engaged or who have a vested interest in the tourism industry which is a key economic driver in the Western Cape Province and Cape Town. The outcome of this study firstly was to establish the current levels of inter-organisational collaboration between the identified stakeholders and how this affects tourism growth. A closer look was taken to look at the current overlapping in the marketing initiatives embarked upon by the destination and tourism marketing organisations in the Western Cape Province, namely Wesgro and Cape Town Tourism and how these can be avoided. Secondly, the study explored how higher inter-organisational collaboration can ensure the achievement of effective tourism marketing of the region. As per the research findings, the researcher compiled recommendations on optimising inter-organisational collaboration among key regional stakeholders. These recommendations should contribute towards streamlining resources and redirecting some of the allocated funds from tourism marketing to other socioeconomic activities that can benefit the citizens of the region, such as developing emerging small to medium tourism enterprises and entrepreneurs.