published_or_final_version / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Background: Nowadays, organizations deal with many challenges in their external environment due to globalization, rapid technological advancement and increasing demand expectations. One way to face these challenges is by collaborating with other organizations. In this new globalized business world interorganizational relations are present everywhere. Nevertheless, from a theoretical perspective the field of interorganizational relations is saturated with terms and concepts. Nearly all aspects of interorganizational relations have been studied, having created a veritable conceptual swamp, idea abundance and vast fragmentation and this situation is a key rationale for the design of this study. Purpose: The purpose of these thesis is to develop a concept of collaboration in interorganizational relations, meaning that there is a need for a synthesized typology model in which collaboration forms can be classified. The purpose of the thesis is fulfilled by researching and answering beforehand defined research questions, namely (1) what are the motives and risks of interorganizational relations and how can they be clustered, (2) which themes/dimensions are used to differentiate between collaborations forms, and finally, (3) can our proposed model be used to classify those collaboration forms? Method: A qualitative directed content analysis was conducted. In the thesis, text from existing research from academic journals and books in the field of business administration were used as data. Conclusion: The result of this thesis is a tentative synthesized typology model of collaboration in the context of interorganizational relations. It incorporates motives and risks of collaboration and finally seven dimensions/themes of how collaboration forms can be classified.

O contexto de diferentes possibilidades de relações interorganizacionais com múltiplos parceiros, a visão mais ampla do que se entende por inovação e a necessidade de compreensão de diferentes especificidades dessa interação, como o desenvolvimento de imitação e o fator localização do parceiro, são pressupostos deste estudo. Dado esse cenário, a pergunta de pesquisa que norteou o desenvolvimento do trabalho foi qual a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovação? A tese defendida nesta dissertação é que a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovaçãoé heterogênea. Ou seja, dado os resultados esperados de inovação, determinadas parcerias são mais importantes do que outras, em função das características particulares da relação. Diante do objetivo geral, de analisar a relação entre a cooperação com diferentes parceiros e o desenvolvimento de inovação, em especial, inovação de processos, esta dissertação foi estruturada em três artigos independentes, mas complementares para atingir aos objetivos propostos. No primeiro artigo realizou-se um levantamento da literatura sobre a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais e os diferentes resultados de inovação, considerando campos de estudo subjacentes, tipos, objetos, parceiros e características das relações. No segundo artigo, foi analisada a relação entre os parceiros de cooperação e o desenvolvimento de imitação de produtos e de processos e, no terceiro artigo, foi analisada a relação entre a localização do parceiro e o desenvolvimento de inovação de processos. A partir de uma revisão sistemática, no primeiro artigo, e da análise em painel dos dados da Pesquisa de Inovação (PINTEC), no segundo e no terceiro artigos, os resultados apresentaram evidências da tese proposta. De modo que foi evidenciado como a associação entre as relações interorganizacionais com diferentes parceiros e os resultados de inovação é heterogênea. Como contribuições, os resultados demonstraram, além do levantamento realizado na revisão sistemática, que o desenvolvimento de imitação de processo tem associação com a cooperação com centros de capacitação, mas não com fornecedores. Enquanto a imitação de produto se beneficia da alta importância dada à cooperação com clientes e não na cooperação com concorrentes. Em relação ao fator localização do parceiro, foi confirmado que o desenvolvimento da inovação de processo nível empresa está associado à cooperação com fornecedores de mesmo estado enquanto o desenvolvimento de inovação de processo nível mundial está associado à cooperação com fornecedores estrangeiros. Ainda, evidenciou-se que a cooperação com concorrentes estrangeiros está associada ao desenvolvimento de inovação de processo para o mercado nacional. Por fim, as evidências demonstraram a relevância da localização próxima dos centros de capacitação profissional e assistência técnica para a inovação de processo em menor grau de novidade assim como a importância das universidades e institutos de pesquisa estrangeiros, sobretudo, desenvolvidos, para o desenvolvimento de inovação com maior grau de inovatividade. / The context of different possibilities of interorganizational relations with several partners, the broader view of innovation definition and the need to understand different specificities of this interaction, such as the development of imitation and the partner location factor, are assumptions of this study. Given this scenario, the research question that guided the development of this study refers to what is the association between interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs. The defended thesis in this dissertation is that the association between the interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs is heterogeneous. That means, considering the expected innovation outputs, certain partnerships are more important than others, depending on particular characteristics of the interaction among them. Regarding the general aim, which was to analyze the relationship between cooperation with different partners and the development of innovation, especially process innovation, this dissertation was structured in three independent studies, but complementary to reach the proposed objectives. In the first study, a literature review was developed about the association between interorganizational relations and the different innovation outputs, considering underlying fields of study, types, objects, partners and characteristics of those relations. In the second study, the relationship between the cooperation partners and the development of products and processes imitation was analyzed and, in the third study, the relationship between the partner\'s location and the development of process innovation was analyzed as well. From a systematic review in the first study, and from a panel analysis of the Innovation Survey data (PINTEC) in the second and third studies, the results presented evidences of the proposed thesis. So, it was evidenced that the association between interorganizational relations with different partners and the innovation outputs is heterogeneous. As contributions the results demonstrated, in addition to the systematic review developed, that the process imitation has association with training centers cooperation, but not with suppliers. Whereas the product imitation is benefited from the high importance given to customers cooperation, not with competitors cooperation. Regarding to the partner location factor, it was confirmed that the development of the innovation at firm levelis associated with the suppliers cooperation from the same State, while the development of world-class process innovation is associated with foreign suppliers cooperation. Moreover, it was evidenced that the cooperation with foreign competitors is associated to the development of process innovation for the national market. Finally, the finding showed the relevance of the firm\'s location to be near to training and technical assistance centers for process innovation to a lower degree, as well as the importance of the foreign universities and research institutes, especially from developed countries, for the development of process innovation with higher degree of innovation.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um modelo específico para analisar a competitividade de clusters de alta tecnologia. Foi realizado um estudo de casos múltiplos em que foram analisados os clusters de ciências da saúde de Ribeirão Preto, no Brasil, e de Oxfordshire, na Inglaterra. Coletaram-se dados primários e secundários. Os dados primários foram coletados por meio de entrevistas em ambos os clusters e os dados secundários por meio de relatórios, papers, websites, além de coleta realizada nos bancos de dados Fame e Orbis. O modelo Zaccarelli et al. (2008), utilizado como ponto de partida para o desenvolvimento do modelo, foi aprimorado de três maneiras: i. Por meio do ajustamento das métricas utilizadas para avaliar cada fundamento, o que incluiu, dentre outras coisas, uma adaptação do modelo para mapeamento de clusters desenvolvido por Todeva (2008); ii. Pela verificação da aderência de seus fundamentos aos clusters de alta tecnologia analisados; e iii. Pela identificação de fatores emergentes, importantes para competitividade de clusters de alta tecnologia. Os resultados mostram evidências de que entre os onze fundamentos do modelo original, nove se mostraram relevantes aos clusters de alta tecnologia, ratificando sua importância para a análise da competitividade de clusters. Além dos fundamentos originais, os resultados sugerem a inclusão de dois fundamentos emergentes: \"Inserção em cadeias globais\" e \"Disponibilidade de investimentos financeiros\", até então ignorados pelo modelo Zaccarelli et al. (2008). A pesquisa traz como contribuição teórica o desenvolvimento de um modelo específico para clusters de alta tecnologia; como contribuição metodológica as novas métricas, incluindo a incorporação da adaptação da metodologia de Todeva (2008); como contribuição empírica traz a comparação entre clusters de ciências da saúde reconhecidamente competitivos, mas pertencentes a países de realidades culturais e econômicas distintas; e como contribuição gerencial um modelo que pode ser utilizado por empresários e instituições pertencentes a clusters e que desejam analisar fatores que influenciam a sua competitividade. / This study aimed to develop a specific model to analyze the competitiveness of high technology clusters. Multiple case studies were performed in which were analyzed health science clusters at Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, and Oxfordshire, England. Primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data was collected through interviews in both clusters and secondary data were collected through reports, papers, websites in addition to data collection conducted in the database Fame and Orbis. The model Zaccarelli et al. (2008), tooked as the starting point this work, was improved in three ways: i. By adjusting the metrics used to evaluate each factor, which included, among other things, an adaptation of the cluster map methodology developed by Todeva (2008); ii. By the examination of adherence of its factors at the high-tech clusters analyzed; and iii. By the identification of emerging factors which are important for competitiveness of high-tech clusters. The results show evidence that among the eleven factors of the original model, nine were considered relevant to high-tech clusters, confirming its importance for the analysis of competitiveness of clusters. In addition to the original factors, the results suggest the inclusion of two emerging factors: \"Insertion at global value chains\" and \"Availability of financial investments\", until then ignored by the model Zaccarelli et al. (2008). The research brings as theoretical contribution the development of a specific model for high-tech clusters; as methodological contribution the new metrics, including the incorporation of the adaptation of Todeva\'s methodology (2008); as empirical contribution brings the comparison between the health sciences clusters notoriously competitive but belonging to countries of different cultural and economic realities; and as a management contribution a model that can be used by entrepreneurs and institutions that belong to clusters and who wish to analyze factors that influence their competitiveness.

Alliance portfolios, or a firm collection of simultaneous alliances, have become common phenomena particularly in technology industries. These portfolios have been found to have a significant impact on firms’ financial performance. At the same time, there is little consensus regarding the direction of this effect. Findings have shown positive, negative, curvilinear, and non-significant relationships. In this dissertation, I employed an organizational learning perspective to investigate the effect of alliance portfolio size on firm financial performance. Using a sample of 343 firm-year observations in the U.S. software industry, I explored portfolio- and firm-level characteristics as moderators of this relationship. Findings provide evidence for a curvilinear, inverted U-shaped relationship between portfolio size and firm performance that is moderated by the timing of the alliances within the portfolio and by the firms’ Top Management Team (TMT) turnover. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The focus of this study was to determine if university student leaders’ cognitive and behavioral agility is related to organizational member commitment and if this relationship is moderated by alterable and non-alterable variables. The empirical results from this study are based on the responses of 37 student leaders who occupy leadership positions in organizations and clubs in their respective university. Cognitive agility was measured by the student leader’s use of systems thinking, reframing, and reflection. Student leader behavioral agility was assessed by a minimum of three organizational members rating the student leader’s use of leader influence actions (transforming, managing, bonding, bridging, and bartering) in carrying out their functions. Organizational member commitment was measured by organization member’s level of commitment with the goals and values of the organization using the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ). / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The interaction of the personnel boundary in inter-firm relationship management is viewed as particularistic in China instead of universalistic as in many Western cultures. Specifically, guanxi networks, the Chinese system of inter-personal relationship, have strong strategic implications for business interactions. The practices of guanxi and the social norms associated with guanxi are complicated. On the one hand, guanxi practices can be traced back to Confucianism; on the other hand, guanxi???s significance has been changing in line with China???s economic reform. In this research, we have attempted to find what presently constitutes good guanxi in inter-firm relationship management against this dynamic backdrop. Additionally, from the transaction cost economies (TCE) perspective, we provide an analysis that guanxi-based business practices offer transaction cost advantages as an alternative to market-based practices. We argue that such advantages partially result from guanxi???s effect on the reduction of opportunist behaviors. Backed up by 97 questionnaire responses from firms in Shanghai and 15 semi-structured interviews, our study confirms that, in inter-firm relationships management, trust, affection and long-term orientation are features of close guanxi. To enhance guanxi quality, familiarization by self-disclosure and the presence of mutual benefits are also necessary, providing practical implications for business practitioners in China. Our study also indicates that guanxi business partners are expected to be obligational in business and flexible in contingencies. Opportunistic behaviors can be mitigated by adopting guanxi practices, supporting the TCE logic. In an absence of a rationalized legal system, guanxi may fill the gaps in the enforcement of the written contract.N

In recent years interorganizational collaboration has increasingly been emphasized as an important step for addressing inefficiencies in the delivery of human services. Among the many benefits of collaboration described by human service authors are the creation of a more consumer-friendly service system, more efficient use of available resources, and avoiding service duplication. During the Spring and Summer of 1996, six focus groups were conducted in Oregon to assess the quality of collaboration between local social service providers and Even Start, a federally funded family literacy program. The federal Even Start legislation required that all Even Start programs collaborate with social service providers in their local communities to improve services for families and avoid duplication of services. This study examined data from the Even Start focus groups using a three-level hierarchical model to determine the approximate level of collaboration that existed in each of six Even Start communities. Results of the analysis indicated that collaboration in three of the six Even Start communities was at or near coordination, the middle level of the three-level model. Collaboration in the other three communities appeared to be somewhere below the lowest level of the model, cooperation. Although agencies at such a minimal level of collaboration may consider each other partners, they are likely to have limited knowledge about each other's operations and clients. Because three of six Even Start communities fit below the lowest level of the model, the model had limited utility for this analysis. However, for interagency relationships at higher levels, the model was effective in helping to find the approximate intensity of collaboration. Although the primary focus of the model used in this analysis was on collaboration intensity, a comprehensive evaluation of collaboration would include numerous additional variables, especially outcomes related to the purposes of the interagency relationship. Several lessons learned during the course of this study have implications for future research. First, by creating data sets that are amenable to examination from multiple perspectives, qualitative methods offer unique flexibility for data collection in secondary circumstances such as the present study. Second, it is likely that collaboration in occurs in varied patterns, few of which resemble the highest levels of collaboration advocated by authors in the field. Finally, rather than broadly encouraging human service organizations to move toward the highest levels of collaboration, researchers need to provide answers to basic questions about what forms of collaboration are most helpful, in which circumstances, and why. / Graduation date: 1999

Eftersom komplexa produkter innehåller många och skilda teknologier är det ofta omöjligt för en enskild organisation att utveckla dessa i egen regi. Därför sker produktutveckling i samverkan mellan organisationer – i så kallade interorganisatoriska samarbeten. Efterhand som produkterna i vår omvärld blir alltmer komplexa, ökar förekomsten av denna typ av utvecklingssamarbeten. Integrering av de olika bidragen i produktutvecklingsprojekten kräver att organisationerna kommunicerar med varandra. Genom kommunikation ges förutsättning för ömsesidiga anpassningar av planer, samt av tekniska lösningar och administration. Informationsteknologin öppnar nu nya vägar för kommunikation mellan organisationer, bland annat genom att deras olika datorsystem länkas samman och bildar ’interorganisatoriska informationssystem’. Dessa system ger möjligheter att effektivisera integrationsarbetet mellan parterna. Frågan som ställs i avhandlingen är hur samarbetsformerna mellan olika organisationer kan komma att förändras när interorganisatoriska system används för komplex produktutveckling. I studien identifieras förändring i tre organisationsdimensioner: aktörsstrukturen, aktivitetsstrukturen och kommunikationsstrukturen. Samtidigt som de nya informationssystemen ger möjlighet att dela upp arbetet mellan de inblandade aktörerna på hittills oprövade sätt, medför de också att rikedomen i den interorganisatoriska kommunikationen minskar. Detta ger behov av anpassningar i nätverket. Studien visar på att behovet kan tillgodoses med hjälp en intermediär aktörskategori som agerar översättare och anpassar arbetet till systemintegratörens krav och arbetssätt. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan