The explanatory power of the landscape perspective on inter-organizational collaboration

Martine de Jong, Jurian Edelenbos, Geert Teisman, Jesse Hoffman and Maarten Hajer
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Martine de Jong: Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Organizational Consultancy, TwynstraGudde, Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Jurian Edelenbos: Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Geert Teisman: Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Jesse Hoffman: Urban Futures Studio and Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Maarten Hajer: Urban Futures Studio and Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands

Environment and Planning A, 2023, vol. 55, issue 6, 1408-1427

Abstract: Collaboration between organizations is generally seen as a pre-requisite for dealing with complex problems, but such efforts appear to be inherently difficult and often disappoint expectations regarding their problem-solving capacity. In this article we add to the existing literature by taking a systemic, landscape perspective on collaborative success and failure. Using a case study of urban regeneration in the Dutch Randstad conurbation, we show that when practitioners aim to collaborate on an inter-organizational level (between organizations), they also need to collaborate productively on intra-organizational (between teams) and supra-organizational (between coalitions) levels. We investigate the tense relationships within and among these levels, and highlight what happens in-between, thereby picturing a bigger collaborative landscape. Drawing on interviews and participant observation we reveal horizontal and vertical practices of “in-betweening†within and between each level. These practices are a promising way to overcome difficulties that may surface on the inter-organizational level but are influenced by the two other levels. Understanding and synchronizing collaborations on all three levels is presented as an effective way to increase the problem-solving capacity of inter-organizational collaboration.

Keywords: Complex problem-solving; inter-organizational collaboration; intra-organizational collaboration; supra-organizational collaboration; multilevel governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envira:v:55:y:2023:i:6:p:1408-1427

DOI: 10.1177/0308518X231152889

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