CURRENT PRACTICE AND STRUCTURAL PATTERNS IN VIRTUAL ORGANIZATIONS - A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF 30 CASES

ABSTRACT Virtual Organizations (VO) are seen as possible solutions for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to overcome disadvantages attributed to their size. Although several examples are well described in the literature, the VO domain still needs clarification in terms of VO types and characteristics. This paper aims at exploring different designs of VOs by investigating structural patterns of 30 VOs. The authors develop an analysis framework, the Virtual Profile, which allows profiling each case along structural dimensions. The analysis shows that, in practice, most of the VOs are based on prior relationships of collaborators with a strong focus on core competencies that intend to cooperate on a long-term basis. Apart from these common characteristics, structural differences between two types of VOs are identified. The resulting typology of two main types – “emerged” (internally driven) and “initiated” (externally driven) VOs - contributes to an explanation of VO types in literature as well as in practice.

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