New challenges in competitiveness: knowledge development and coopetition

The main aim of this paper is to suggest how collaboration with competitors -coopetition - established for the joint creation of knowledge, could be a new opportunity that managers must evaluate as a strategic option. The literature on strategic alliances and knowledge creation is considered, together with the specific trend of alliances with competitors. Then, the process continues with the discussion of circumstances and characteristics in which coopetition could be a superior option, making it possible to develop new knowledge. Our research shows that in the case of coopetition, the two sides of the behaviour -competitive and cooperative- provide greater incentives to improve knowledge development. As this is a theoretical paper, deeper analysis is required to prove whether the advantages of strategic alliances with competitors over other alternatives are superior forms of organizing the process of knowledge creation in high-technology industries. With regard to practical implications, managers must consider the option of this kind of inter-organizational agreement with competitors as an alternative and an opportunity for integrating knowledge faster than they would in isolation. The originality of this paper lies in showing that the objective of coopetition must be the joint creation of new knowledge by partners, and in differentiating this type of cooperation from another in which the aim is to absorb knowledge from one of the partners. We present this kind of coopetition as a new strategic option that managers must evaluate, and this is the first attempt to discuss and differentiate the two types of alliances in a coopetition environment. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es sugerir cómo la colaboración con competidores, conocida con el término coopetición, establecida para la creación conjunta de conocimiento, puede suponer una nueva oportunidad que los directivos deben evaluar como una opción estratégica. Para el desarrollo del trabajo se tiene en cuenta la literatura relacionada con la creación de conocimiento y con alianzas estratégicas, junto con las especificidades de las alianzas con competidores. El trabajo continúa con la discusión de las circunstancias y características en las que la coopetición puede ser una opción superior, haciendo posible el desarrollo de nuevo conocimiento. Nuestra investigación muestra que en el caso de la cooperación con competidores, las dos características de esta relación ¿ competitiva y cooperativa -, proveen mayores incentivos para mejorar el desarrollo de conocimiento. Al tratarse de un trabajo teórico, en futuras investigaciones se debería realizar un análisis más profundo para contrastar si las ventajas de las alianzas estratégicas con competidores son superiores efectivamente a otras formas de organizar el proceso de creación de conocimiento en industrias de alta tecnología. Con respecto a las implicaciones prácticas, los directivos deberían considerar esta opción de acuerdos inter-empresariales con los competidores como una alternativa y una oportunidad para integrar conocimiento más rápido que el desarrollo de manera aislada por una sola empresa. La originalidad de este trabajo residen en mostrar que el objetivo de la coopetición puede ser la creación conjunta de conocimiento por los socios, y en diferenciar este tipo de cooperación de otros en el que el objetivo es únicamente absorber conocimiento de los socios. Presentamos esta opción de coopetición como una nueva opción estratégica que los directivos deben evaluar, y esto supone el primer intento en diferenciar estos dos tipos de alianzas en un entorno de coopetición.Coopetición, creación de conocimiento, alianzas estratégicas Coopetition, knowledge creation, strategic alliances,

Coopetition and innovation. Lessons from worker cooperatives in the Spanish machine tool industry

This is an electronic version of the accepted paper in Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing[EN] Purpose – This paper aims to investigate how the implementation of the inter-cooperation principle among Spanish machine-tool cooperatives helps them to coopete–collaborate with competitors, in their innovation and internationalization processes and achieve collaborative advantages. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a multi-case approach based on interviews with 15 CEOs and research and development (R&D) managers, representing 14 Spanish machine tool firms and institutions. Eight of these organizations are worker-cooperatives.. Findings – Worker -cooperatives achieve advantages on innovation and internationalization via inter-cooperation (shared R&D units, joint sales offices, joint after-sale services, knowledge exchange and relocation of key R&D technicians and managers). Several mutual bonds and ties among cooperatives help to overcome the risk of opportunistic behaviour and knowledge leakage associated to coopetition. The obtained results give some clues explaining to what extent and under which conditions coopetitive strategies of cooperatives are transferable to other types of ownership arrangements across sectors. Practical implications – Firms seeking cooperation with competitors in their R&D and internationalization processes can learn from the coopetitive arrangements analyzed in the paper. Social implications – Findings can be valuable for sectoral associations and public bodies trying to promote coopetition and alliances between competitors as a means to benefit from collaborative advantages. Originality/value – Focusing on an “ideal type” of co-operation -cooperative organisationsand having access to primary sources, the paper shows to what extent (and how) strong coopetitive structures and processes foster innovation and internationalization

Effective Systems Engineering Training

The need for systems engineering training is steadily increasing, as both the defense and commercial markets take on more complex "systems of systems" work. A variety of universities and commercial training vendors have assembled courses of various lengths, format, and content to meet this need. This presentation looks at the requirements for systems engineering training, and discusses techniques for increasing its effectiveness. Several format and content options for meeting these requirements are compared and contrasted, and an experience-based curriculum is shown

The words of the body: psychophysiological patterns in dissociative narratives

Trauma has severe consequences on both psychological and somatic levels, even affecting the genetic expression and the cell\u2019s DNA repair ability. A key mechanism in the understanding of clinical disorders deriving from trauma is identified in dissociation, as a primitive defense against the fragmentation of the self originated by overwhelming experiences. The dysregulation of the interpersonal patterns due to the traumatic experience and its detrimental effects on the body are supported by influent neuroscientific models such as Damasio\u2019s somatic markers and Porges\u2019 polyvagal theory. On the basis of these premises, and supported by our previous empirical observations on 40 simulated clinical sessions, we will discuss the longitudinal process of a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy (16 sessions, weekly frequency) with a patient who suffered a relational trauma. The research design consists of the collection of self-report and projective tests, pre-post therapy and after each clinical session, in order to assess personality, empathy, clinical alliance and clinical progress, along with the verbatim analysis of the transcripts trough the Psychotherapy Process Q-Set and the Collaborative Interactions Scale. Furthermore, we collected simultaneous psychophysiological measures of the therapeutic dyad: skin conductance and hearth rate. Lastly, we employed a computerized analysis of non-verbal behaviors to assess synchrony in posture and gestures. These automated measures are able to highlight moments of affective concordance and discordance, allowing for a deep understanding of the mutual regulations between the patient and the therapist. Preliminary results showed that psychophysiological changes in dyadic synchrony, observed in body movements, skin conductance and hearth rate, occurred within sessions during the discussion of traumatic experiences, with levels of attunement that changed in both therapist and the patient depending on the quality of the emotional representation of the experience. These results go in the direction of understanding the relational process in trauma therapy, using an integrative language in which both clinical and neurophysiological knowledge may take advantage of each other

Disclosure of personal reactions that occur during therapy to supervisors and supervisory alliance among marriage and family therapy trainees and interns

The purpose of this study was to investigate the likelihood of disclosure and comfort in disclosure of personal reactions occurring in the conduct of psychotherapy in the clinical supervision of marriage and family therapy trainees and interns/associates. This study replicated and expanded on Pakdaman, Shafranske and Falender\u27s (2014) and Daniel\u27s (2008) analog studies of the effects of supervisory alliance on self-reported comfort and likelihood of disclosure of personal reactions in therapy with psychology interns and trainees. This study also investigated the relationship between working alliance and experiences of isomorphism and parallel process. There were a total of 161 participants; 56 trainees and 105 interns. The majority of the participants identified as female, Caucasian and heterosexual. Results indicated if trainees have a strong working alliance with their supervisor, they would feel safe and supported when sharing they are having personal reactions in therapy and if they feel isomorphism or parallel process is occurring. The results of this study have implications for supervision of marriage and family therapy therapists and possibly the field of mental health in general, as results were replicated from previous studies. The implications of the results are further explored

A psychoanalytic investigation of transference management in the Irish adult public mental health services

Mental health is a pressing issue for society with approximately 700,000 of the Irish population being affected by a mental health problem over the course of their lives. Despite the extensive demand and the national reformation agenda recent reports indicate that patients are unsatisfied and readmission rates remain consistently high indicating that services do not enable recovery. Psychoanalysis has demonstrated that to enable positive change it is essential to manage transference. Transference is experienced in the immediate reactions of liking or disliking influential Others; often the subject who we suppose has knowledge that will benefit us. In services this Other is usually the health care professional. Managing transference requires a connection between consciously expressed expectations and unconscious desire. Health care delivery takes place within a therapeutic professional relationship placing responsibility on staff to acknowledge and address the quality of the relationships they have with service users. The reviews of service user satisfaction and the consistent readmission rates indicate that health care professionals are unskilled at forming positive therapeutic relationships. The aim of this study is to investigate the current management of transference and to make recommendation in relation to how recognition and management of transference may have positive outcomes for service users and providers. Following a review of relevant literature, a qualitative methodology was designed and data collected by interviews and non-participant observation in an acute mental health service. The data were analysed with a Freudian/Lacanian theory of the subject. Findings were grouped under four formulations, transference, language, groups and leaders and resulted in a set of recommendations. Key findings indicated that the act of caring provokes overwhelming anxiety in staff resulting in the patient being viewed as an object rather than a subject. Transference is unacknowledged and unmanaged and emerges in a negative form which contributes to the mismanagement of critical incidents. Staff are more concerned about maintaining the system that engaging with patients. Some professional groups lack language to describe their work resulting in the retention of patients as minors. Staff speak for rather than with patients. However with appropriate interventions for staff such as psychoanalytically informed supervision alongside a shift to a post-modern philosophy of care positive change could be achieved

Supervisory alliance and countertransference disclosure in peer supervision

Peer supervision is an evolving mode of training used in counselor/psychologist/therapist education and professional development. Little is known, however, about the format of peer supervision in clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs, its effectiveness, or differences in the processes or outcomes of traditional supervision (supervisor of record and supervisee) and peer supervision (consultation between clinical trainees and/or graduate student classmates). This study aimed to examine one aspect of peer supervision and to provide a comparison between supervision of record and peer supervision. The study examined the role of alliance on countertransference disclosure. Fifty-two clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students from APA accredited programs completed the Working Alliance Inventory/Supervision (WAI-S; Bahrick, 1990) and the Reaction Disclosure Questionnaire (Daniel, 2008) for both their peer and primary supervisors as well as completed a demographic questionnaire. The results supported the research hypotheses: supervisory working alliance was found to be positively correlated with the degree of comfort with and the likelihood of countertransference disclosure to peer supervisors as well as to primary supervisors. No significant variances were found between degree of comfort with or likelihood of countertransference disclosure to peer or primary supervisors or between working alliance with peer and primary supervisors. These results are consistent with previous research on the positive correlation between supervisory working alliance and comfort with and likelihood of countertransference disclosure (Daniel, 2008; Pakdaman, 2011) and contribute to the larger body of literature on therapists\u27 management of personal reactions. Limitations of this study include those related to a small sample size (representative of primarily Caucasian females), inability to infer causation, and methodology (e.g., self-report methods, potentially inadequate sensitivity of instruments). Recommendations for future research include a determination of the number of doctoral programs with peer supervision, an exploration of peer supervisees\u27 experiences in peer supervision as well as critical incidents, and an investigation of the efficacy of peer supervision on therapy outcome

Ellipses : Cultural Reflexivity in Transactional Analysis Supervision

Peer reviewedPostprin