1. Interorganizational Relationships
Chapter Five
Interorganizational Relationships
Thomson Learning
© 2004

2. A Framework of Interorganizational Relationships*
Resource
Dependence
Collaborative
Network
Institutionalism
Population
Ecology
Organization Type
Organization
Relationship
Dissimilar
Similar
Cooperative
Competitive
Thomson Learning
© 2004
*Thanks to Anand Narasimhan for suggesting
this framework.

3. Changing Characteristics of Interorganizational Relationships
Traditional Orientation:
Adversarial
New Orientation:
Partnership
Trust, addition of value to both sides, high commitment
Equity, fair dealing, both profit
Electronic linkages to share key information, problem feedback and discussion
Mechanisms for close coordination, people on-site
Involvement in partner’s product design and production, shared resources
Long-term contracts
Business assistance beyond the contract
Suspicion, competition, arm’s length
Price, efficiency, own profits
Limited information and feedback
Legal resolution of conflict
Minimal involvement and up-front
investment, separate resources
Short-term contracts
Contract limiting the relationship
Thomson Learning
© 2004

4. Elements in the Population Ecology Model of Organizations
Variation
Large number
of variations
appear in the
population of
organizations
Selection
Some
organizations
find a niche
and survive
Retention
A few
organizations
grow large and
become
institutionalized
in the
environment
Thomson Learning
© 2004

5. Three Mechanisms for Institutional Adaptation
Mimetic
Coercive
Normative
Reasons to
become similar:
Uncertainty
Dependence
Duty,
obligation
Events:
Innovation
visibility
Political law,
rules, sanctions
Professionalism—certification, accreditation
Social
basis:
Culturally
supported
Legal
Moral
Example:
Reengineering, benchmarking
Pollution controls, school regulations
Accounting standards, consultant training
Source: Adapted from W. Richard Scott,
Institutions and Organizations (Thousand Oaks,
Calif.: Sage, 1995).
Thomson Learning
© 2004