Transaction Costs, Innovation and Learning

transaction costs;innovation;learning;inter-organizational relations;networks

A Balanced Theory of Sourcing, Collaboration and Networks

In a synthesis of recent advances, this article gives a fresh, balanced theory of inter-organizational relations. It integrates competence and governance perspectives. It considers the choice between mergers/acquisitions and alliances. It offers a toolbox of instruments to govern relational risk, and the contingencies for their selection. Relationships can last too long. Therefore, the article also looks at how to end relationships. Beyond dyads of collaborating firms, it includes effects of network structure and position.corporate governance;inter-organizational relations;organizational behavior;inter-firm alliances;collaboration

The field of inter-organizational relations : a jungle or an Italian garden?

Each chapter in this Handbook contains an explicit assessment of priorities for future research that would extend and deepen an understanding of IOR. Given the diversity of contributions to this volume, it is perhaps not surprising that recommendations for future research are varied. And because the three sets of contributions start from different points-empirical manifestations, theoretical and disciplinary perspectives, and thematic interests-so the recommendations, too, might be expected to lead along different paths, 'cutting' and framing future research topics in different ways. Nevertheless, as others have suggested (Brass et al. 2005) it is possible to see some points of convergence across all three parts of the Handbook. We begin our discussion of the contributions and suggestions for the future by focusing on these points of convergence. We then look in turn at the specific ideas that emerge from, and relate to, the specific framings of each of the parts. Finally, we draw together insights about methodological issues

DETERMINANTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS

Nowadays, the cooperation is considered as one of the basic paths of enterprise development. For many entities, it is a chance of improving or increasing competitiveness, for others it is a necessity because the lack of cooperation could cause serious perturbations. However, it is emphasized that the decision to cooperate must be conscious. The effect can be on one hand the benefits, on the other hand there is the possibility of generating losses. Due to the fact that most of the relations between the cooperating companies are antagonistic, it is worth considering the factors that guarantee the effectiveness of cooperation. This paper attempts to identify the key factors that favour and limit the effectiveness of inter-organizational collaboration. The first part of the paper presents theoretical reflections on the essence and nature of cooperation. The second one focuses on the result analysis of a survey on determinants of cooperation conducted during the year 2015 on a sample of 192 entities

Economic vs. Organisational Perspective on Inter-organisational Relations’ Analysis – Are Economists on the Dead-end Track?

Inter-organizational relations (IORs), complex constructs existing on the verge of companies' boundaries, are a popular area of managerial and academic investigation, due to their ability to create sustainable competitive advantage. The aim of the article is to show applicability, insights and limitations of economic perspective in IORs analysis. By reviewing advances of selected economic and organizational theories exploring IORs, we will try to answer the following questions: (1) Can economic thought add any novelty to IOR analysis in the era of dynamic global shifts in competitive environment? Are economic lenses still useful and applicable here? (2) Do organizational sciences’ academics take more practical, down to earth approach, or have they just moved forward (or blurred the clarity of) their theories by employing advances from social sciences, like sociology and psychology? (3) Are these two perspectives contradictory or supplementary? The article is divided into four parts. Firstly, we propose an analytical framework to study inter-organizational relations, secondly we analyze the theories focused on IORs as results of rational choices; thirdly, we move to theories exploring the reasons why IORs are built in a specific way, and then to concepts looking for conditions, methods and key drivers of IORs successful management. In conclusion, we give a brief summary of the main findings together with the limitations and areas open for further investigation of inter-organizational relations

Governance and Competence

Transaction cost economics faces serious problems concerning the way it deals, or fails to deal, with bounded rationality, the efficiency of outcomes, trust, innovation, learning and the nature of knowledge. The competence view yields an alternative perspective on the purpose and boundaries of the firm. However, the competence view cannot ignore issues of governance, and in spite of serious criticism, transaction cost economics yields useful concepts to deal with it. This article aims to contribute to the development of theory and empirical research that connects governance and competence perspectives.governance;learning;organization;inter-organizational relations;inter-firm alliances

Organizational interactions in global energy governance

This chapter explores inter-organizational relations in the field of global energy governance. It starts by mapping the policy field of energy governance, the existing literature, and the multilateral energy architecture. It then performs an organization-set analysis of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which is widely regarded as the most advanced multilateral energy organization. More precisely, it presents an overview of the IEA’s interactions with four other energy-related international organizations: the Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries, the Energy Charter Treaty, the Group of Eight/Group of Twenty, and the International Renewable Energy Agency. It finds that these dyadic relationships have evolved quite dramatically over the years and points out some of the salient factors that drive these relationships, before suggesting some avenues for future research

Trust and Formal Control in interorganizational Relationships

There is a tendency to see trust and control by formal agreements as substitutes. According to transaction cost economics trust is unreliable, and some form of control is needed to reduce hazards of opportunism. According to others, high trust allows for a limited extent of formal control. Formal control signals distrust and thereby evokes reciprocal distrust and formal control. This paper studies all combinations of high/low trust and high/low formal control in four longitudinal case studies. We find that trust and formal control are at least as much complements as they are substitutes. We find that like trust contracts can be both the basis and the outcome of relations.governance;inter-organizational relations;trust;contract