Collaborative governance draws from diverse realms of practice and research in public administration. This article synthesizes and extends a suite of conceptual frameworks, research findings, and practice-based knowledge into an integrative framework for collaborative governance. The framework specifies a set of nested dimensions that encompass a larger system context, a collaborative governance regime, and its internal collaborative dynamics and actions that can generate impacts and adaptations across the systems. The framework provides a broad conceptual map for situating and exploring components of cross-boundary governance systems that range from policy or programbased intergovernmental cooperation to place-based regional collaboration with nongovernmental stakeholders to public-private partnerships. The framework integrates knowledge about individual incentives and barriers to collection action, collaborative social learning and conflict resolution processes, and institutional arrangements for cross-boundary collaboration. It is presented as a general framework that might be applied to analyses at different scales, in different policy arenas, and varying levels of complexity. The article also offers 10 propositions about the dynamic interactions among components within the framework and concludes with a discussion about the implications of the framework for theory, research, evaluation, and practice.

An Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance

Academic management theory has a serious utilization problem. This article argues that it stands a better chance of being adopted for instrumental use if the theory is based on the paradigm of the “design sciences”, like medicine or engineering. Most academic management research is based on the paradigm of the “explanatory sciences”, like physics. The mission of these sciences is to describe, explain and predict, while the core mission of the design sciences is to develop “tested and grounded technological rules”. The paradigm of the design sciences is applied to management research and I discuss the potential of solving its utility problem by combining both types of research.

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Management research based on the paradigm of the design sciences: the quest for field-tested and grounded technological rules

A fundamental methodological question guides this paper: How can operations managers and researchers learn from the applied activity that characterises the practice of OM? To address this question, defines and explores the legitimacy of an action‐oriented research approach in OM, and the particular logic and value of applying action research (AR) to the description and understanding of issues in OM. Begins with a review of the role of empirical research in OM and how AR features within the OM research literature. Introduces the theory and practice of AR and outlines the AR cycle and how AR is implemented. Finally, describes the skills required to engage in AR and explores issues in generating theory. Concludes with the assertion that AR is relevant and valid for the discipline of OM in its ability to address the operational realities experienced by practising managers while simultaneously contributing to knowledge.

Action research for operations management

Inter-organizational frameworks of intervention dominate the resolution of complex societal problems facing the UK and many other countries. Strategic alliances, joint working arrangements, networks, partnerships and many other forms of collaboration across sectoral and organizational boundaries currently proliferate across the policy landscape. However, the discourse is positioned at an institutional and organizational level, and comparatively little attention is accorded to the pivotal role of individual actors in the management of inter-organizational relationships. This paper attempts to redress this balance by focusing on the skills, competencies and behaviour of boundary spanners. A critical review of the relevant literature, both from an institutional and relational perspective, is undertaken. This is complemented by some new empirical research that involves an engagement with groups of particular types of boundary spanner using a combination of surveys and in-depth interviews. Finally, a discussion makes connections between the existing literature and the research findings and offers suggestions for future areas of enquiry.

The Competent Boundary Spanner

This introductory paper provides a background to the origins, themes and papers of this Special Issue on Micro Strategy and Strategizing. Our overarching argument is that, while the field of strategy has traditionally concentrated on the macro-level of organizations, it needs now to attend to much more micro-level phenomena. We propose an activity-based view of strategy that focuses on the detailed processes and practices which constitute the day-to-day activities of organizational life and which relate to strategic outcomes. The paper develops this view by considering two bodies of theory, those of the resource based view and institutionalism; two bodies of empirical work, those on corporate diversification and structure; and finally the process tradition of strategy research. The paper identifies the benefits of the activity-based view and introduces some challenges for further research. It concludes by introducing the papers in this Special Issue.

Guest Editors' Introduction: Micro Strategy and Strategizing: Towards an Activity-Based View

Action research has become increasingly prominent among management researchers as an espoused paradigm used to justify the validity of a range of research outputs. In this paper we introduce and discuss 12 contentions which, we argue, justify an action research project as quality research. The contentions are presented through a discussion of a number of important issues: generality and theory generation, the type of theory development appropriate to action research, the pragmatic focus of action research, designing action research and validity of action research.

Action Research for Management Research

Partnerships increasingly play a major role in determining and implementing major policy drives in localities. Under-standing how they may provide value is therefore essential to understanding modern governance principles. This article describes action research aiming to develop a conceptualization of fac-tors inherent in collaborative forms and, hence, about their practicality as governance tools. Different interpreta-tions of what collaborative governance is intended to achieve are first reviewed. Two areas that seriously affect the ability of collaborations to deliver their potential, structural complexity and diversity are then reviewed. The article concludes by considering what is needed to make collaborative governance work.

The Challenge of Collaborative Governance

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION SECTION II: MANIFESTATIONS OF INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS SECTION III: THEORETICAL AND DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON THE STUDY OF INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS SECTION IV: KEY TOPICS IN INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH SECTION V: CONCLUSION

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The Oxford Handbook of Inter-Organizational Relations

Action research for the study of organizations In common with other forms of qualitative research (Miles and Huberman 1984; Strauss and Corbin 1990; Gummesson 1991; Denzin and Lincoln 1994), action research has become increasingly prominent among researchers involved in the study of organizations as an espoused paradigm used to justify the validity of a range of research outputs. The term is sometimes used rather loosely to cover a variety of approaches. In this chapter we shall use the term to embody research which, broadly, results from an involvement by the researcher with members of an organization over a matter which is of genuine concern to them and in which there is an intent by the organization members to take action based on the intervention.

Action research for the study of organizations

This paper describes a methodology for strategic management whose primary aim is to gain involvement and commitment from those whose actions will secure the organization's future, rather than to produce perfect plans. The process involves a continuous cycle of workshops in which many managerial levels participate, focussing on the creation and evaluation of strategic options, including analysis of the competitive environment in which the options would be carried out. Through such workshops, a knowledge base of the ‘corporate context’ is built up of the combined, and often opposing, views of those who have participated, and this is fed back into future workshops. There is thus a flow of ideas and experiences both up and down and across the organization. It is argued that as well as enhancing commitment and understanding, the process also fosters creativity, reduces bounded vision and encourages participants to think about themselves and the organization in new lights.

C. Huxham

Papers

Action Research for Management Research

The Challenge of Collaborative Governance

The Oxford Handbook of Inter-Organizational Relations

Action research for the study of organizations

Action-Oriented Strategic Management