Collaborative capabilities of cause-based social entrepreneurship alliance of firms

PurposeThis study examines the collaborative value practices of cause-based social entrepreneurship alliances. We investigate key drivers of value creation in such alliances.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a longitudinal case study design approach involving four northern Italian businesses for investigating the cause-based social alliances.FindingsThe study findings suggest that cause-based alliance differ from other business relationships due to social mission of the alliance and orientation of partners to a specific social cause. However, over time involved firm may pursue commercial interests.Research limitations/implicationsThe study utilizes a qualitative case study approach to examine the issues. This may have implications on generalizability of study findings. Further, the sample is limited to small firms, which limit its relevance for large firms.Practical implicationsManagers can utilize the study findings to guide the organizing process of a successful cause-based alliance and can implement it with positive outcomes for their firm.Originality/valueThis is one of the first study on the emerging phenomenon of cause-based social alliance. It contributes to the literature on social entrepreneurship. It informs and guides practitioners about motivations and drivers of such alliances.

Overcoming the collaborative challenge: commitment as a super-ordinate enabler of value co-creation

PurposeDespite over 30 years of focus on supply chain collaboration, companies continue to struggle to achieve collaborative advantage. To better understand why some companies are able to collaborate for competitive advantage and others can't, the authors explore how managerial commitment enables collaborative capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed a longitudinal inductive study, interviewing companies with reputations for intense supply chain collaboration at four different times over 20 years.FindingsThe authors identified managerial commitment as a super-ordinate enabler. They describe the dynamics of commitment development and explore three types of commitment: instrumental, normative and transformative. The authors document key antecedents and outcomes of each type of commitment.Research limitations/implicationsTheory regarding the antecedents to commitment to collaborative capability is underdeveloped. The authors elaborate these antecedents and the dynamics that enable or undermine the commitment necessary to build effective collaboration capabilities.Practical implicationsThe authors provide insight (i.e. a practical and actionable roadmap) into the process companies use to cultivate commitment to collaboration and value co-creation.Originality/valueCollaboration is critical to value co-creation, including effective supply chain risk mitigation and lasting sustainability efforts. The authors elaborate a theory of commitment dynamics that explains why most companies never go beyond basic levels of collaboration. At the same time, the authors provide a roadmap for deep, transformative collaboration.

Impact of Knowledge Capabilities on Organisational Performance in the Private Sector in Oman

The authors examine various aspects of the organizational knowledge capabilities and assess their impact on the organizational performance of private firms in Oman. Ten hypotheses are developed, linking the dimensions of organizational knowledge capabilities (OKC) (technological, cultural, managerial, and collaborative) with the aspects of performance. The path analysis technique is used to test the hypotheses; only four hypotheses depicted the effect of OKC on performance. They find that managerial capabilities play a significant role but have an indirect positive effect on enhancing performance. They have a higher impact only when they are inter-linked with collaborative capabilities, which have a direct and significant effect on performance. This paper deciphers the various knowledge capabilities and establishes inter-linkages among them in the firm context. The results enable the development of a productive knowledge management ecosystem in the business environment and spotlight on the wise investment of IT in achieving business goals.

Assessing Collaborative Capabilities for Sustainability in Interorganizational Networks

Sustainability in interorganizational networks depends on developing collaborative capabilities for this purpose. However, to improve their collaborative capabilities for sustainability (CCS), companies in interorganizational networks need methods to assess them. The existing CCS assessment approaches in the literature do not indicate what capabilities should be improved in an individual company to support collaborative strategies. Addressing this gap, the main contribution of this paper is providing a framework to assess CCS in interorganizational networks, providing support for improving firm-level capabilities. To attain this aim, the framework was based on the graph-theoretic approach (GTA), a multi-attribute technique that captures the interrelationships between elements of a system, providing multi-level and overall assessment. We tested the framework in three hotels from a tourism cluster in Brazil, where sustainability has been an unsettling issue. By applying the assessment framework, it was possible to generate a CCS index for each company and, thereby, to compare the results. Findings from the field confirmed the benefits of using the framework and its utility in assessing CCS and setting priorities for improvement.

Government-Created Nonprofit Organizations and Public Service Turnaround: Evidence from a Synthetic Control Approach

Theories of sectoral advantage and failure suggest that collaborations between public and nonprofit organizations can create new collaborative capabilities that compensate for sector-specific weaknesses. Drawing on these perspectives, we investigate whether government-created nonprofit organizations (GCNPOs) can turn around public services regarded as “failing” by government agencies. In doing so, we analyze the transfer of all of the functions of a “failing” inner London local education authority (Hackney) to a specially created not-for-profit organization (the Learning Trust) responsible for all the primary and high schools within its jurisdiction (circa 60 schools, with about 25,000 pupils). Using a synthetic control method approach to investigate the performance effects of this intervention, we find that educational outcomes improved in Hackney during the years following the creation of the Learning Trust. Documentary evidence suggests that the nonprofit form of the Learning Trust may have enabled it to develop better relations with the local community and access new revenue streams, which helped to improve outcomes. Our findings highlight the breadth and depth of the contribution that GCNPOs can make to the delivery of public services and to their potential effectiveness in helping to turnaround those that are failing.

Dynamics of Organisational Capability of Japanese Construction Firm towards Open and Service Innovation through PPP/PFI arrangement

<p>This study examined the influence of Public–Private Partnership (PPP) — or, more specifically, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) — arrangements in relation to open and service innovation in construction firms in Japan. The expectation of the PPP/PFI procurement arrangement is that Japanese construction firms will provide a broader range of services (service innovation) through expanded cooperation with various other firms (open innovation) compared to the conventional procurement scheme.</p><p>Our in-depth case study of a Japanese construction company shows the dynamics of project-based firms' capability accumulation through a PPP/PFI arrangement. The study identified a model of capability development for construction firms towards service and open innovation. It consists of three organisational capabilities: technological capabilities, project capabilities and collaborative capabilities. The model can be seen as an ideal approach for understanding and comparing cases of long-term capability accumulation of project-based firms, especially regarding providing services that meet the public's needs.</p><p> </p><p>Keywords: Public–Private Partnership (PPP); Private Finance Initiative (PFI); Project Capability, Open innovation; Service innovation; Construction firm</p>