Strategic management of value networks: how to create value in cross-sector collaboration and partnerships
Grudinschi, Daniela (2014-12-17)
Väitöskirja
Grudinschi, Daniela
17.12.2014
Lappeenranta University of Technology
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-738-1
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-738-1
Tiivistelmä
Cross-sector collaboration and partnerships have become an emerging and desired strategy in
addressing huge social and environmental challenges. Despite its popularity, cross-sector
collaboration management has proven to be very challenging. Even though cross-sector
collaboration and partnership management have been widely studied and discussed in recent
years, their effectiveness as well as their ability to create value with respect to the problems they
address has remained very challenging. There is little or no evidence of their ability to create
value. Regarding all these challenges, this study aims to explore how to manage cross-sector
collaborations and partnerships to be able to improve their effectiveness and to create more value
for all partners involved in collaboration as well as for customers.
The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part comprises an overview of relevant literature
(including strategic management, value networks and value creation theories), followed by
presenting the results of the whole thesis and the contribution made by the study. The second
part consists of six research publications, including both quantitative and qualitative studies. The
chosen research strategy is triangulation, as the study includes four types of triangulation:
(1) theoretical triangulation, (2) methodological triangulation, (3) data triangulation and
(4) researcher triangulation. Two publications represent conceptual development, which are
based on secondary data research. One publication is a quantitative study, carried out through a
survey. The other three publications represent qualitative studies, based on case studies, where
data was collected through interviews and workshops, with participation of managers from all
three sectors: public, private and the third (nonprofit).
The study consolidates the field of “strategic management of value networks,” which is proposed
to be applied in the context of cross-sector collaboration and partnerships, with the aim of
increasing their effectiveness and the process of value creation. Furthermore, the study proposes
a first definition for the strategic management of value networks. The study also proposes and
develops two strategy tools that are recommended to be used for the strategic management of
value networks in cross-sector collaboration and partnerships. Taking a step forward, the study implements the strategy tools in practice, aiming to show and to demonstrate how new value can
be created by using the developed strategy tools for the strategic management of value networks.
This study makes four main contributions. (1) First, it brings a theoretical contribution by
providing new insights and consolidating the field of strategic management of value networks,
also proposing a first definition for the strategic management of value networks. (2) Second, the
study makes a methodical contribution by proposing and developing two strategy tools for value
networks of cross-sector collaboration: (a) value network mapping, a method that allows us to
assess the current and the potential value network and (b) the Value Network Scorecard, a
method of performance measurement and performance prediction in cross-sector collaboration.
(3) Third, the study has managerial implications, offering new solutions and empirical evidence
on how to increase the effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration and also allow managers to
understand how new value can be created in cross-sector partnerships and how to get the full
potential of collaboration. (4) And fourth, the study also has practical implications, allowing
managers to understand how to use in practice the strategy tools developed in this study,
providing discussions on the limitations regarding the proposed tools as well as general
limitations involved in the study.
addressing huge social and environmental challenges. Despite its popularity, cross-sector
collaboration management has proven to be very challenging. Even though cross-sector
collaboration and partnership management have been widely studied and discussed in recent
years, their effectiveness as well as their ability to create value with respect to the problems they
address has remained very challenging. There is little or no evidence of their ability to create
value. Regarding all these challenges, this study aims to explore how to manage cross-sector
collaborations and partnerships to be able to improve their effectiveness and to create more value
for all partners involved in collaboration as well as for customers.
The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part comprises an overview of relevant literature
(including strategic management, value networks and value creation theories), followed by
presenting the results of the whole thesis and the contribution made by the study. The second
part consists of six research publications, including both quantitative and qualitative studies. The
chosen research strategy is triangulation, as the study includes four types of triangulation:
(1) theoretical triangulation, (2) methodological triangulation, (3) data triangulation and
(4) researcher triangulation. Two publications represent conceptual development, which are
based on secondary data research. One publication is a quantitative study, carried out through a
survey. The other three publications represent qualitative studies, based on case studies, where
data was collected through interviews and workshops, with participation of managers from all
three sectors: public, private and the third (nonprofit).
The study consolidates the field of “strategic management of value networks,” which is proposed
to be applied in the context of cross-sector collaboration and partnerships, with the aim of
increasing their effectiveness and the process of value creation. Furthermore, the study proposes
a first definition for the strategic management of value networks. The study also proposes and
develops two strategy tools that are recommended to be used for the strategic management of
value networks in cross-sector collaboration and partnerships. Taking a step forward, the study implements the strategy tools in practice, aiming to show and to demonstrate how new value can
be created by using the developed strategy tools for the strategic management of value networks.
This study makes four main contributions. (1) First, it brings a theoretical contribution by
providing new insights and consolidating the field of strategic management of value networks,
also proposing a first definition for the strategic management of value networks. (2) Second, the
study makes a methodical contribution by proposing and developing two strategy tools for value
networks of cross-sector collaboration: (a) value network mapping, a method that allows us to
assess the current and the potential value network and (b) the Value Network Scorecard, a
method of performance measurement and performance prediction in cross-sector collaboration.
(3) Third, the study has managerial implications, offering new solutions and empirical evidence
on how to increase the effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration and also allow managers to
understand how new value can be created in cross-sector partnerships and how to get the full
potential of collaboration. (4) And fourth, the study also has practical implications, allowing
managers to understand how to use in practice the strategy tools developed in this study,
providing discussions on the limitations regarding the proposed tools as well as general
limitations involved in the study.
Kokoelmat
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