Cæcilie Maibom and Pernille Smith
Non-profit organisations are moving from being permeated with social institutional logics to becoming increasingly influenced by market logics. These organisations thereby have to…
Abstract
Purpose
Non-profit organisations are moving from being permeated with social institutional logics to becoming increasingly influenced by market logics. These organisations thereby have to cope with multiple, often conflicting, logics. The existing literature on hybrid organisations has investigated the consequences of multiple logics, focussing in particular on the conflicts and power struggles between the agents of different logics. This paper aims to examine a social enterprise (SE), which in recent years has experienced a shift towards market logics while being firmly grounded in a non-profit social logic.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is a qualitative, single-case case study of a SE based on interviews and observations.
Findings
The paper investigates how this hybrid organisation experienced and responded to an organisational environment marked by multiple institutional logics. Unlike the subjects of many previous studies, the organisation managed to accommodate and assemble the logics in an unproblematic symbiosis. A strong ideological congruence across institutional logics appears to play the main role in spanning the boundaries between institutional logics. Furthermore, organisational structures advocating decentralisation, autonomy and transparency appear to be important facilitators of the integration of diverse logics.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on hybrid organisations and SEs and aids practitioners in such organisations. It suggests that organisational decentralisation, autonomy and transparency facilitate the integration of multiple logics – especially if ideological congruence exists between the actors of different institutional logics. The findings indicate that ideological congruence enhances tolerance towards different approaches and increases the willingness to integrate diverse logics.
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Ana Burcharth, Pernille Smith and Lars Frederiksen
This paper investigates how a new entrepreneurial identity forms in conjunction with prior work-related identities during sponsored self-employment after an emotional job loss.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates how a new entrepreneurial identity forms in conjunction with prior work-related identities during sponsored self-employment after an emotional job loss.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors empirically examine why some dismissed employees failed and others succeeded in transitioning from a wage-earner career via corporate sponsorship to a career as an entrepreneur, investigating how those employees meaningfully constructed (or did not) an entrepreneurial identity.
Findings
The authors' findings show that the simultaneous preservation of central attributes of prior work-related identities and the engenderment of new entrepreneurial attributes support the formation of an entrepreneurial identity and that a liminal state, in which people practice entrepreneurship at work, may facilitate identity transition.
Originality/value
This paper demonstrates that the initial entrepreneurial endeavor is based on prior work-related identity and identity congruence between prior work-related identities and a projected entrepreneurial identity is of great importance for the identity transition. However, the authors also show that incongruence may in some cases turn into congruence if entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to experiment with provisional entrepreneurial selves in a risk-free environment (so-called liminal states).
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The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the empirical literature on inter‐organizational R&D collaborations in order to highlight the tendencies in research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the empirical literature on inter‐organizational R&D collaborations in order to highlight the tendencies in research methodologies so far and to identify possible future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review is based on a bibliographical search of a number of academic search engines. These sources include all the major management, organizational behavior, marketing, engineering, sociology, and psychology journals, thus ensuring a thorough search on the topic of inter‐organizational R&D. The review includes papers from 1995 to 2010.
Findings
The main focus of research on inter‐organizational R&D is on innovation performance enablers, organizational and coordination aspects, and knowledge exchange. The vast majority of which is based on snapshot studies at the management or firm level of analysis that leave open questions regarding the actual inter‐organizational innovation practices. To fill the gap evidenced in the literature, the author concludes that longitudinal qualitative micro‐level research would help to expand existing knowledge on the practices in inter‐organizational R&D.
Research limitations/implications
The paper proposes a practice‐based research framework for future studies of inter‐organizational R&D, in order to gain a better understanding of the social dynamics of such collaborations.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on empirical research in the area of inter‐organizational R&D, and links the methodological approaches used to the limitations in the knowledge base of the topic.
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Inter-organizational innovation is becoming an attractive development form in view of the complexity of many of today’s innovations. However, inter-organizational innovation does…
Abstract
Purpose
Inter-organizational innovation is becoming an attractive development form in view of the complexity of many of today’s innovations. However, inter-organizational innovation does not often lead to the desired results. To understand this paradoxical situation, the purpose of this paper is to examine a high-novelty R & D collaboration between multiple organizations with focus on the occurrence of knowledge boundaries and their underlying mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis is based on a grounded longitudinal study of an inter-organizational R & D team. Participant observation data, interviews, and document data have been collected over three years.
Findings
The study identified six different knowledge boundaries characterized by processes of sensemaking, strategizing, and group identification. These three processes were all rooted in continuous attempts at the individual level to reduce uncertainty, and the findings therefore highlight the unexpected consequences of uncertainty reduction. Uncertainty reduction through sensemaking, strategizing, and group identification may reduce the uncertainty at the individual level but also provoke the emergence of knowledge boundaries at the team level, thereby impeding knowledge exchange. Furthermore, the knowledge integration literature highlights that knowledge boundaries are relational, but the identification of a cognitive boundary indicates that some problems are so complex that a knowledge boundary is delimited to the single individual.
Originality/value
Most research on knowledge boundaries has focussed on the elimination of knowledge boundaries through boundary objects and boundary spanners, but only little attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms of boundary emergence and dynamics. In this paper, it is argued that to efficiently manage knowledge boundaries, an understanding of their underlying mechanisms is needed.
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This paper aims to review the existing literature on structured corporate–startup collaboration programs (SCSCPs) concerning their objectives and organizational design components…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the existing literature on structured corporate–startup collaboration programs (SCSCPs) concerning their objectives and organizational design components. The design components of the program execution are analyzed on how they impact knowledge transfer and how the extant literature on SCSCP considers the knowledge management topic. A new perspective to examine its ramifications will be discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
Through an integrative literature review, 103 papers on the topic of SCSCP are analyzed about references of objectives and design components of the programs.
Findings
The literature shows a strong focus on strategic objectives corporations pursue in implementing an SCSCP. The design components can be divided into governance mode, structural decisions, selection of ventures, program execution and follow up.
Research limitations/implications
The literature review shows a lack of insights into the knowledge transfer process between the corporation and the ventures. Therefore, this study suggests a practice-based, longitudinal perspective on the interaction processes that occur during the program execution of an SCSCP.
Originality/value
Compared to existing literature reviews, the study takes the corporation’s perspective on incubation and acceleration and reveals design components specific to the corporate forms. Furthermore, SCSCPs center around strategic value generation and the design of the programs can vary highly. It is proposed that knowledge transfer is the central aspect of corporate programs and that a practice-based perspective would enrich the research on knowledge transfer in highly complex setups like this.
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Pernille Eskerod, Karyne Ang and Erling S. Andersen
Exploitation of project opportunities may bring more benefits than stipulated in the initial business case, and even stakeholder benefits that nobody thought of at the project…
Abstract
Purpose
Exploitation of project opportunities may bring more benefits than stipulated in the initial business case, and even stakeholder benefits that nobody thought of at the project initiation. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a new research area for megaprojects, i.e. the phenomenon of project opportunity exploitation as a means to increase the project benefits.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a single case study of an infrastructure megaproject, i.e. the construction and operation of a 50+ years old American bridge. Data cover information regarding 60+ years old historical documents, newspaper articles, interviews and video-recordings.
Findings
The findings of this paper are as follows: exploiting all opportunities created by the project and increasing project benefits require involvement from many categories of stakeholders; stakeholders get more involved in exploiting the opportunities created by the project when they are proud of the project; for some of the project-related opportunities, it might take a long time before they can be exploited (and related benefits achieved); and celebrating achievements of the project stimulate stakeholders to exploit opportunities created by the project and contribute to further project benefits.
Research limitations/implications
Only few interviews were conducted. Interviewees were biased as all were very proud of the bridge. This is a single case study of a “rare species”, not representing most megaprojects.
Practical implications
To enhance project opportunity exploitation and increased benefits, the project owner (team) must continuously communicate about the project, also after project execution.
Originality/value
This study contributes to a gap within the literature on the phenomenon “project opportunity exploitation”. This is a very rich case study and of a “rare species”.
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Just Bendix Justesen, Pernille Eskerod, Jeanette Reffstrup Christensen and Gisela Sjøgaard
The purpose of this paper is to address a missing link between top management and employees when it comes to understanding how to successfully implement and embed workplace health…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address a missing link between top management and employees when it comes to understanding how to successfully implement and embed workplace health promotion (WHP) as a strategy within organizations: the role of the middle managers.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual framework based on review of theory is applied within an empirical multi-case study that is part of a health intervention research project on increased physical activity among office workers. The study involves six Danish organizations.
Findings
Middle managers play a key role in successful implementation of WHP, but feel uncertain about their role, especially when it comes to engaging with their employees. Uncertainty about their role appears to make middle managers reluctant to take action on WHP and leave further action to top management instead.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations included the middle managers’ low attendance at the half-day seminar on strategic health (50 percent attendance), the fact that they were all office workers and they were all from Denmark.
Practical implications
Middle managers ask for more knowledge and skills if they are to work with WHP in daily business.
Social implications
Implementing and embedding WHP as a health strategy raises ethical issues of interfering with employees’ health, is seen as the employee’s personal responsibility.
Originality/value
This study adds to knowledge of the difficulties of implementing and embedding WHP activities in the workplace and suggests an explicit and detailed research design.
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Studies have shown that mental health professionals find working with patients with dual diagnosis challenging, and the purpose of this paper is to examine some of these…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies have shown that mental health professionals find working with patients with dual diagnosis challenging, and the purpose of this paper is to examine some of these challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 85 mental health professionals from 8 different mental health centres in Denmark were interviewed. The data analysis was inspired by a grounded theory approach.
Findings
Different challenges in the dual diagnosis treatment were identified and they suggested that the focus of treatment was mainly on the mental illness rather than the substance use disorder. The single focus of the treatment made it challenging to treat patients with dual diagnosis sufficiently. While several studies explain the single focus by inadequate competencies among professionals, the present study suggests that the single focus is also explained by the way that the treatment is organised. For instance, standardized treatment packages and insufficient guidelines on substance abuse treatment make it challenging to treat patients with dual diagnosis.
Originality/value
This paper suggests that a more flexible, and a longer period of, treatment, together with more sufficient guidelines on dual diagnosis treatment and a more formalized collaboration with the substance abuse treatment centres, will make it a less challenging issue to treat patients with dual diagnosis.
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Thomas Lopdrup-Hjorth and Anne Roelsgaard Obling
In this chapter, we contextualise an ethical codex introduced in the Danish Central Administration. As a management tool, the codex is intended to curb a mounting distrust induced…
Abstract
In this chapter, we contextualise an ethical codex introduced in the Danish Central Administration. As a management tool, the codex is intended to curb a mounting distrust induced by a number of political-administrative scandals. This is attempted via a revitalisation of classical bureaucratic duties. At the same time, the codex’s attempt at restoring trust is challenged by a number of obstacles. Launching our exploration from an ethos of office-perspective, we contextualise the codex in three dimensions: an organisational dimension, a semantic dimension and a training dimension. From this three-pronged analysis, we show how a number of historical and contemporary obstacles work counter to the codex’s stated attempt to revitalise the ethos of the civil servants. Building on these analyses, we discuss the tensions between official and private selves in particular ethical training exercises as well as the implications the codex brings with it, including a possible obscuring of political-administrative responsibility.