CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar a configuraÃÃo de uma rede de cooperaÃÃo interorganizacional nos LenÃÃis Maranhenses, em seus elementos constitutivos e na sua dinÃmica de funcionamento, visando contribuir para a compreensÃo do fenÃmeno em um destino turÃstico isolado, de bases ecolÃgicas e do desenvolvimento do trade turÃstico local. No Brasil, os estudos sobre cooperaÃÃo interorganizacional ainda sÃo considerados relativamente recentes. No entanto, percebe-se a existÃncia de um nÃmero significativo de pesquisas realizadas com o intuito de traÃar um diagnÃstico sobre o tema levando em consideraÃÃo a realidade do PaÃs. No contexto do turismo, as redes de cooperaÃÃo interorganizacionais sÃo estabelecidas para proporcionar e consolidar um destino turÃstico. Sendo assim, tem-se como foco o estudo da cooperaÃÃo interorganizacional em bases locais, isto Ã, em uma comunidade dedicada à atividade turÃstica e isolada dos grandes centros receptores de turistas, como à o caso da cidade de Barreirinhas, na RegiÃo dos LenÃÃis Maranhenses. A pesquisa possui natureza qualitativa e, quanto aos objetivos, à analÃtica. Quanto aos meios, trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo na modalidade estudo de caso. Foram entrevistados 16 dirigentes de empresas, bem como 4 representantes de ÃrgÃos pÃblicos. A coleta de dados foi realizada mediante entrevistas semiestruturadas no perÃodo de 22 de julho e 01 de agosto de 2012. As categorias de anÃlise foram divididas em 4 grupos a fim de garantir o alcance dos objetivos propostos: (1) estratÃgica; (2) organizacional; (3) social; e (4) polÃtica. Na anÃlise dos resultados utilizou-se anÃlise de conteÃdo e do discurso, com o auxÃlio do Atlas Ti versÃo 6. Os resultados obtidos revelam que, em se tratando da dimensÃo estratÃgica, as aÃÃes de cooperaÃÃo estabelecidas sÃo mais centradas no nÃvel operacional que no estratÃgico, com a presenÃa de prÃticas competitivo-cooperativas entre as empresas. A dimensÃo organizacional mostra que o municÃpio ainda se encontra em processo de amadurecimento no que diz respeito à formaÃÃo de redes de cooperaÃÃo interorganizacional. A dimensÃo social, por sua vez, evidencia que as relaÃÃes entre os atores favorecem o compartilhamento de conhecimentos, informaÃÃes e experiÃncias, mas nÃo de forma igualitÃria. Por fim, a dimensÃo polÃtica revela que hà uma relaÃÃo conflituosa entre o poder pÃblico e as empresas. / This study aimed to analyze the configuration of a network of interorganizational cooperation in LenÃÃis Maranhenses in its constitutive elements and dynamic operation, aiming to contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon in a secluded destination, the ecological foundations and development of local tourism trade. In Brazil, studies on interorganizational cooperation are still considered relatively new. We notice the existence of a significant number of researches done in order to draw a diagnosis on the subject taking into account the reality of the country. In the context of tourism, networks of interorganizational cooperation are established to provide and nurture a tourist destination. Thus, we have focused on the study of interorganizational cooperation on a local, that is, a community dedicated to tourism and isolated from major centers of tourist receptors, such as the city of Barreirinhas in LenÃÃis Maranhenses . The research has a qualitative nature and the aims, is analytic. As for the media, it is a field research in form of case studies. We interviewed 16 business leaders, as well as 4 representatives of public bodies. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews between July 22 and August 1, 2012. The categories were divided into 4 groups to ensure the achievement of the proposed objectives: (1) strategic, (2) organization, (3) social, and (4) policy. In analyzing the results, we used content analysis and discourse, with the aid of Atlas Ti version 6. The results show that, when considering the strategic dimension, cooperation activities established are more focused on the operational level to the strategic, with the presence of coopetitive practices among companies. The organizational dimension shows that the council is still in the process of maturation with respect to the formation of networks of inter-organizational cooperation. The social dimension, inturn, shows that the relationships between the actors encourage the sharing of knowledge, information and experiences, but not equally. Finally, the political dimension shows that there is an adversarial relationship between government and business.

La territorialisation des politiques publiques repose sur un grand nombre d’acteurs-relais, dont la coopération est considérée comme une donnée, rarement comme une variable à construire. Pourtant, les organisations ne sont pas des agents économiques désincarnés, mais des entités constituées d’individus, dont la mise en disponibilité relationnelle n’est pas garantie par la seule « proximité géographique ». Cette thèse traite des coopérations inter-organisationnelles territorialisées, dans le cadre d’un dispositif d’Insertion par l’Activité Économique (IAE), et mobilise trois études de cas.Elle montre que les coopérations inter-organisationnelles ne sont pas un processus naturel, qu’elles ont besoin d’un cadre favorable pour s’exprimer positivement. Mais aussi, que la pertinence du cadre ne garantit pas à lui seul leur efficacité/efficience et leur durabilité. La performance socio-économique globale du dispositif repose également sur la qualité de son pilotage, car le système IAE ne s’auto-organise pas. À ce titre, nous proposons l’implémentation d’un outil de contractualisation, comme levier de l’activation du pilotage des coopérations inter-organisationnelles territorialisées, entre les pouvoirs publics et les structures d’IAE, qui viendrait enrichir l’actuel dialogue de gestion. / The territorialization of public policy depends on a large number of “link-actors” whose cooperation is considered as a given and rarely as a variable to be constructed. However, the organizations are not disincarnated economic agents, but entities made up of individuals whose propensity to relationships is not guaranteed uniquely by “geographical proximity.” This thesis deals with the territorialized inter-organizational cooperation within the framework of an Active Inclusion through Economic Activity (AIEA) scheme and involves three case studies.It demonstrates that inter-organizational cooperation is not a natural process, that it requires favorable conditions in order to have a positive outcome. Furthermore, the pertinence of the framework does not in and of itself guarantee its efficiency/effectiveness and its sustainability. The global socio-economic performance of the scheme depends equally on the quality of its monitoring insofar as the AIEA system is not self-organized. With this in mind, we propose the implementation of a contract agreement tool, as a lever for the activation of the monitoring of territorialized inter-organizational cooperation, between the public authorities and the AIEA structures, which would enhance the current management dialog.

Notre recherche porte sur la coopération au sein des réseaux territoriaux d'organisations. Plus particulièrement, nous souhaitons caractériser le processus de coopération qui s'établit entre les membres d'un réseau territorial d'organisations qui a émergé de l'incitation des pouvoirs publics. Pour cela, nous mobilisons une méthodologie qualitative en menant une étude de cas auprès du Pôle Tourisme de Territoire-Carac'Terres et du Pôle Services à la Personne, qui ont tous deux vu le jour afin d'être labellisés « Pôle Régional d'Innovation et de Développement Économique Solidaire » (PRIDES) par le Conseil Régional PACA. Nous nous appuyons sur un cadre théorique articulant l'Économie de la Proximité et la Sociologie de la Traduction afin d'analyser ces réseaux. Deux niveaux de résultats sont proposés. Le premier est de caractériser le processus de développement de la coopération en identifiant des facteurs favorables et des facteurs défavorables et en mettant en lumière que la coopération résulte de la mise en cohérence de quatre dimensions -les acteurs, les dispositifs de gestion, les espaces et le sens - à travers le rôle d'un traducteur. Le second niveau de résultat réside dans la mise en œuvre d'un cadre théorique hybride permettant d'appréhender la dynamique des proximités à travers le processus de traduction. / Our research focuses on cooperation within territorial networks. We wish, in particular, to characterize the cooperation process which is reached between the members of a social network born from the incentive of authorities. To achieve that, we use a qualitative methodology by carrying out a case study at the Pôle Tourisme de Territoire-Carac'Terres, and at the Pôle Services à la Personne, which were both created to be labelled "Regional Pole for Innovation and Economic Development based on Solidarity" (PRIDES) by the Regional Council PACA. We use a theoretical frame combining Proximity Science and Actor-Network Theory, in order to analyse these networks. Two levels of results are proposed. The first one is to characterize the development process of cooperation by identifying the predisposing and hampering factors, and by bringing to light the fact that cooperation is the result of the weaving together of four dimensions - the actors, the management tools, the areas, and the meaning - through a translator. The second level lies in the implement of a hybrid theoretical frame, which allows to grasp the dynamics of proximities through a translating process.

A presente tese analisa a influência da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), da Organização dos Estados Americanos (OEA), de suas burocracias internacionais e de suas relações administrativas intra e extraorganizacionais na promoção e na defesa da democracia na América Latina. A partir das contribuições teóricas do construtivismo social e dos estudos de administração, é possível observar os corpos burocráticos das organizações internacionais como Administrações Públicas Internacionais (APIs) que influenciam a governança global ao distribuir níveis de governo e mudar as condutas dos Estados. A singularidade da América Latina alerta as Organizações Internacionais (OIs) e suas burocracias internacionais quanto às constantes crises democráticas na região, dos problemas econômicos e sociais e das distorções dos princípios democráticos nas sociedades latino-americanas. O objetivo desta tese, então, é investigar a influência das OIs, de suas burocracias e de suas interações administrativas na democracia latino-americana. É defendida a hipótese de que a cooperação entre a ONU e a OEA impacta nas democracias latino-americanas, por meio de suas atuações conjuntas em missões eleitorais, publicações e eventos. Para tanto, adotou o método de análise misto, com técnicas de pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa combinadas para melhor explicar o fenômeno estudado. Qualitativamente, fez-se revisões literárias e análises documentais sobre as OIs, as burocracias internacionais e as relações interoganizacionais como atores externos nos processos de democratização da América Latina. Já na etapa quantitativa, realizou-se uma análise descritiva aprofundada do banco de dados inédito e foram empregadas as estimações por Mínimos Quadrados Generalizados (MQG) para dados organizados em painel, para 20 países latino-americanos, no período de 2000 a 2015. A estruturação do banco de dados inovador utilizou as atividades dessas organizações na área da democracia, incluindo os eventos, as publicações e as missões políticas e de assistência eleitoral entre os anos selecionados. Os resultados encontrados confirmaram a hipótese de que a cooperação entre ONU e OEA em suas atividades aumenta o nível de democracia latino-americana. / The present thesis analyzes the influence of the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), their international bureaucracies and their administrative intra and extra-organizational relations in the promotion and defense of democracy in Latin America. By combining the theoretical contributions of social constructivism and management studies, it is observed that the bureaucratic bodies of international organizations such as International Public Administrations (IPAs) influence global governance by distributing the level of government and changing the conduct of States. The singularity of Latin America alerts the International Organizations (IOs) and their international bureaucracies about the constant democratic crisis in the region, the economic and social problems and the distortions of democratic principles in Latin American societies. In this sense, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the influence of IOs, their bureaucracies and their administrative interactions in Latin American democracy. The working hypothesis is that cooperation between the UN and the OAS impact on Latin American democracies through their joint actions in electoral missions, publications and events. In order to do so, the mixed analysis method was adopted, with qualitative and quantitative research techniques combined to better explain the investigated phenomena. Qualitatively, the thesis uses literary reviews and documentary analysis about the IOs, the international bureaucracies and the inter-organizational relations as external actors in the processes of democratization in Latin America. The quantitative stage of the research included an in-depth descriptive analysis of the database and the usage of estimates by Generalized Least Squares (GLS) for panel data for 20 Latin American countries, from 2000 to 2015. The structuration of the innovative database of this thesis used the organizations’ activities in democracy including events, publications and political and electoral assistance missions during the selected years. The results confirm the initial hypothesis that cooperation between the UN and the OAS in their activities increases the level of democracy in Latin American.

La ricerca fornisce un’indagine diacronica dell’evoluzione della cooperazione UE-NATO. Lo studio permette di andare oltre le dicotomie “formale/informale” e “stato/burocrazia” che hanno contraddistinto gli studi sulla relazione tra le due organizzazioni. Arricchendo il quadro analitico multilivello con proposizioni teoriche tratte dall'istituzionalismo storico, la ricerca considera la cooperazione formale e informale come istituzioni che si influenzano reciprocamente e dimostra come la complessa interazione tra fattori materiali, istituzionali e l’azione di attori statali e non statali influenzi la cooperazione tra le due organizzazioni. Evidenze empiriche rivelano un andamento ricorrente nel cambiamento della cooperazione formale UE-NATO, in quanto minacce alla sicurezza e integrità territoriale Europea innescano una giuntura critica che facilita una convergenza di preferenze tra gli stati che segnalano interesse per una nuova politica di cooperazione e individui nelle organizzazioni che agiscono come negoziatori. Nonostante tale processo accomuni l’accordo Berlin Plus con la Dichiarazione congiunta UE-NATO, il recente ritorno alla cooperazione formale avanza ambizioni con maggiori sfumature costruttiviste e segnala un ruolo crescente della burocrazia come policy-maker. Lo staff delle due organizzazioni ha sviluppato pratiche di cooperazione informale, che non solo hanno parzialmente compensato gli anni di stallo tra UE e NATO, ma hanno anche influenzato la finalità e il contenuto della recente ripresa della cooperazione formale tra le due organizzazioni. / The research provides a diachronic investigation of the evolution of EU-NATO cooperation. In so doing, the study allows for going past the “formal/informal” and “state/bureaucratic” dichotomies that have characterized EU-NATO studies. Combining the “multilevel framework” of analysis with theoretical insights from historical institutionalism, the research considers formal and informal cooperation as intersecting and mutually influencing institutions and reveals how the complex interplay among material, institutional factors and state and no-state actors’ agency affect inter-organizational cooperation. Our empirical findings reveal a recurring pattern of change in EU-NATO formal cooperation, as threats to European security and territorial integrity trigger a critical juncture facilitating the convergence of actors’ preferences with states showing interest in a new policy of cooperation and individuals acting as policy-brokers. Notwithstanding this commonality between the adoption of the Berlin Plus agreement and the EU-NATO Joint Declaration, the recent upsurge of formal cooperation shows more constructivist nuanced ambitions and a growing role of bureaucrats as policy-makers. Staff have displayed inter-organizational agency by developing informal practices of cooperation that did not only partially counterbalance lack of cooperation in the years of the EU-NATO stalemate, but have also shaped the ratio and content of the recent comeback to formal cooperation.

The inter-firm cooperation between partner companies is a central element of most business models in an open innovation perspective. A closed innovation approach cannot be effective anymore, and most of the companies have been trying to embrace open innovation concepts by developing various types of interorganizational ties with a diverse range of partner companies. Building a solid cooperative model with partner companies is becoming vital success factor in an increasingly competitive global market. Companies are required to build teams with other partner companies in order to develop or internalize new technologies, and commercialize new products, and to remain technologically competitive. In this context, this research focuses to develop a structured framework of organizational challenges and challenge management model in collaborative innovation projects in inter-organizational relationship. In order to achieve these goals, the key organizational challenges in cooperate with partner companies and root causes of them are defined and analysed. Furthermore, challenged management programs are analysed based on the framework developed in this research. The result of this study support for readers to gain a comprehensive understanding on organizational challenges in open innovation. Furthermore, it also provides managerial implications in terms of challenge management in a collaborative innovation project. / Samverkan mellan partnerföretag är ett centralt element i de flesta affärsmodeller sett från ett öppet innovationsperspektiv. En sluten innovationsprocess är inte längre effektiv och de flesta företag, framförallt företag i högteknologisk industri, har anammat en öppen innovationsprocess genom att utveckla olika typer av samarbeten med ett brett urval av partnerföretag. Att bygga en solid samarbetsmodell med partnerföretag är en vital framgångsfaktor i en alltmer konkurrensutsatt global marknad. Företag bör bygga team med andra partnerföretag för att utveckla eller internalisera nya teknologier samt kommersialisera nya produkter för att förbli tekniskt konkurrenskraftiga. Denna studie ämnar utveckla en strukturerad modell för hantering av organisatoriska utmaningar i innovationsprojekt mellan företag. Genom en fallstudie på Samsung Electronics, definieras och analyseras de viktigaste utmaningarna i samarbetsprojekt samt dess bakomliggande orsaker. Vidare analyseras etablerade teorier för hantering av utmaningar inom öppen innovation baserat på modellen som utvecklats i studien.

Based on an assumption that legal space can contribute to improved collaboration in social work, while at the same time it with its scope for interpretation can create obstacles to collaboration, this study has been made. This qualitative study has been limited to a smaller municipality in southern Sweden, where all interviewees, work at the social services in the adult unit, but in different sections thus problems specialized specializations. During the course of the study, another study was discovered on collaboration between the police and social services, where collaboration and cross-border cooperation work better in smaller municipalities. Based on interviewee statements, this can be confirmed even if these cannot generalize all municipalities' social workers' experience of collaboration. The social services on which the study is conducted are focused on problems for adults and collaborate with a number of different actors, units and authorities at the same time, including within the unit. In order to be able to understand and explain how collaboration takes place and is experienced, the study has been structured in such a way that the social services as the organization are described and explained based on, among other things, organizational theory. The social services are clarified based on which structure, the social secretaries work. Where both collaboration theory and complexity theory can be applied, it is also explained in more detail about internal and external collaboration, intraorganizational collaboration, interorganizational collaboration. The social secretaries are then described in their role and work performance, with a special focus on collaboration.Where specialization, legitimacy and profession form the basis for a desirable and evidence-based practice (EBP) performance of social work.  Finally, based on previous research and interviewees' statements, it has been possible to make a reflection from the clients' perspective of how they experience collaboration. This structure has facilitated the explanation of each component for a functioning collaboration and created an overview to be able to develop and clarify the social workers' experience of the collaboration.

本研究以非營利組織策略合作為主題，以策略性思維，嘗試探索較能解釋非營利組織策略合作型式選擇決策之合作內涵特性，且以此發現為基礎，從較具解釋效果之合作內涵特性分析，進一步針對非營利組織策略合作之價值共創與關係管理機制，探索較具策略管理意涵之機制變數，以建構本研究所欲探討之非營利組織策略合作型式選擇模式，以及價值共創與關係管理機制之概念模式，並提出規範性之命題。 　　為此，本研究選擇了具有近百年歷史且經營模式獨特之台灣農會（會員導向之擬公法人商業－互益型非營利組織）作為研究對象，結合非營利組織與營利組織之相關理論及文獻，針對實務現象進行分析。由於所欲探討主題屬特定現象之初期探討，本文採質性多重個案研究設計，針對由三家（含）以上農會所參與組成之聯盟機構蒐集資料，並以聯盟機構或策略合作網絡之主導機構為主體之組織間合作關係為分析單位，進行資料蒐集及探索性研究。 　　首先，歸納文獻與實務現象觀察結果，本研究依非營利組織策略合作「是否共組獨立機構」及「是否採非營利性」兩項選擇決策，將聯盟機構歸納分類成四種策略合作型式：非營利性合營機構、營利性合資機構、非營利性聯盟及營利性聯盟，此項分類方式也作為本研究後續進行個案分析之基礎。 　　由於不同策略合作型式傾向採取不同之組織原理與思考邏輯，本研究認為非營利組織(農會)進行策略合作，若要持續共同創造所欲追求之價值並妥善管理組織間關係，應策略性地選擇較能發揮效能之合作型式，再據以設計其價值共創與關係管理機制。因此，本研究之個案分析分成兩個階段進行，第一階段個案研究主要嘗試從實務個案資料分析歸納較能解釋不同策略合作型式之合作內涵特性變數；第二階段個案研究主要聚焦探討「非營利性聯盟」及「非營利性合營機構」兩種非營利性質之合作型式，並以第一階段有關合作內涵特性變數之發現為基礎，進一步探索兩種合作型式之價值共創與關係管理機制變數。 　　本研究第一階段個案分析歸納發現，如果合作內涵涉及高度業務可切割性及高度關係專用資產投入必要性時，較宜採取共組獨立機構之合作型式；反之，如果合作內涵涉及低度業務可切割性或低度關係專用資產投入必要性時，較宜採取不共組獨立機構之合作型式。另外，如果合作內涵涉及高度投入共同性、低度投入可衡量性、高度產出共同性或低度產出可衡量性時，較宜採取非營利性之合作型式；然而，如果合作內涵涉及低度投入共同性、高度投入可衡量性、低度產出共同性或高度產出可衡量性時，較宜採取營利性之合作型式。 　　至於第二階段有關價值共創機制之個案分析發現，如果合作內涵涉及低度業務可切割性時，非營利性聯盟可以採取幾項價值共創機制：合作夥伴專業分工、合作夥伴選擇、任務小組負責人選派制度、合作夥伴創新能力、外部資源有效分配方式，以及外部專家專業諮詢；相對地，合作內涵涉及高度業務可切割性時，非營利性合營機構可以透過專業團隊經營、董(理)監事選聘制度、領導人甄選制度、創新經營模式、組織設計決策管理與控制分離政策，以及設立外部獨立董(理)監事等機制來營造彼此價值共創之氛圍。 　　如果合作內涵涉及低度關係專用資產投入必要性時，要有效利用合作夥伴既有資源及外部取得資源以共同營造合作網絡之綜效價值，非營利性聯盟可以採取幾項價值共創機制：任務小組負責人選派制度、資源有效利用方式、合作夥伴之資源與技術有效整合，以及合作夥伴網絡關係運用；相對地，合作內涵涉及高度關係專用資產投入必要性時，非營利性合營機構可以採取董(理)監事選聘制度、具體資源運用計畫、合營機構領導人組專業團隊之權力，以及有效專業服務平台等價值共創機制。 　　針對關係管理機制之探討，經個案分析發現，如果合作內涵涉及高度投入共同性時，兩種非營利性質之策略合作型式可以透過可接受之合作規範、建立共同標準、資訊對等溝通，以及能力不足補救措施來提升合作夥伴配合共同投入意願。合作內涵涉及低度投入可衡量性時，可以賦予投入較多之合作機構主導資源利用方向之決策權以維持其投入意願；涉及高度產出共同性時，可以透過共同品質控管、不符標準產出配套處理措施及外部誘因來提升合作夥伴配合共同產出要求之意願；至於涉及低度產出可衡量性時，可以透過目標達成度評核措施、外部專家專業認定及可接受之利益分配方式來協調合作夥伴關係。 　　過去文獻對非營利組織之合作關係，較少以策略性思維進行探討，本研究之發現可延伸應用並補強現有合作相關理論與文獻對非營利組織間合作有關實務現象之解釋，對未來有關非營利組織合作關係之研究，也提供另一個思考方向；加上組織間策略合作也是當前政府輔導農民團體因應台灣加入WTO後之政策加強重點，本研究配合組織思索轉型所需，實務上期能提供農會研擬組織間合作策略及政府推動農民團體輔導政策之參考。 / Strategic cooperation is taken as an alternative resort for solving problems facing non-profit organizations (NPO) which suffer a bottleneck in operations resulting from mounting resource scarcity and external threats. It is especially deemed so for farmers’ associations in Taiwan, which were closely associated with the development of agriculture on the island in the past century and have been seriously affected after Taiwan entered the World Trade Organizations（WTO）in 2002. Given this understanding, we conduct a two-phase study to observe the phenomena by studying farmers’ associations in Taiwan. Research 1 attempts to explore the cooperation characteristics which can most explain the decision on strategic cooperation types chosen by at least 3 farmers’ associations in each network. Research 2, based on the findings of Research 1, attempts to explore the value-co-creating and relation-maintaining mechanisms for such relations. As part of the methodology, we apply an exploratory multiple-case-study design and refer to NPO and PO (for-profit organization) literature for analytical induction. Prior to the case study, we first categorize the NPO strategic cooperation relations into four types: Non-profit joint operations, for-profit joint ventures, non-profit alliances and for-profit alliances. This categorization made in accordance with literature review and observed phenomena serves as a basis for our further research. In Research 1, we examine 5 theoretically sampled cases and find out 2 characteristics variables which can most explain the decision on whether to organize an independent institution, and 4 variables which can most explain the decision on whether to keep the cooperation for non-profit purpose or change it into for-profit relations. According to our findings, if cooperation involves high business separability and high necessity for relation-specific asset input, we suggest a choice for organizing another new independent institution (i.e. non-profit joint operations or for-profit joint ventures). If cooperation involves low business separability and low necessity for relation-specific asset input, we suggest a choice for not organizing an independent institution (i.e. non-profit alliances or for-profit alliances). In terms of the “non-profit or for-profit” decision, if cooperation involves high input commonality, low input measurability, high output commonality and low output measurability, we suggest a non-profit choice (i.e. non-profit joint operations or non-profit alliances). If cooperation involves low input commonality, high input measurability, low output commonality and high output measurability, we suggest a for-profit choice (i.e. for-profit joint ventures or for-profit alliances). For the second research, we focus our study on the two non-profit cooperation types and examine 8 theoretically sampled cases including 5 non-profit alliances and 3 non-profit joint operations. We explore the value-co-creating mechanisms by analyzing case data from the two characteristics variables which can most explain the “organizing an independent institution or not” decision in consideration that the two studied types take different cooperation forms and may apply different mechanisms for co-creating synergetic value in the network. Meanwhile, we explore the relation-maintaining mechanisms from the four characteristics variables which can most explain the “non-profit or for-profit” decision because the two studied types is of non-profit nature and involve high input commonality, low input measurability, high output commonality and low output measurability. It is of strategic significance to heighten partners’ will for continued cooperation in such non-profit relations. Our findings of the value co-creating mechanisms suggest 6 mechanism variables for the non-profit alliances and non-profit joint operations, respectively, depending on their levels of business separability. Analysis from the characteristics of necessity for relation-specific asset input, in similar manner, suggests 4 variables for the two studied types, respectively. In the exploration of relation-maintaining mechanisms, results suggest 4 mechanism variables for the non-profit types if cooperation involves high input commonality, 1 variable for relations involving low input measurability, 3 variables for relations involving high output commonality, and 3 variables for relations involving low output measurability. Although there may be many mechanisms which can help partners to co-create value and maintain relations in their cooperation, this research attempts to explore only the variables which can be of more strategic significance for the two focus types. Following our findings in Research 1 and 2, we provide normative propositions and build a decision-making model for the choice of strategic cooperation types and another integrative conceptual model of the value-co-creating and relation-maintaining mechanisms for non-profit alliances and joint operations. Farmers’ associations, which boast of a history of nearly 100 years in Taiwan, are unique in their business models as compared to other non-profit organizations. On top of that, NPO inter-organizational cooperation relations are seldom examined from strategic perspective. Theoretically speaking, findings of this dissertation can further extend and supplement the explanation and the application of present theories and literature to the phenomena in this regard. Implications and recommendations for managerial practices of inter-organizational cooperation among farmers’ associations are also discussed.