Managing and organising collaborative improvement: a system integrator perspective

More than ever, companies are challenged to improve their performance and respond quickly and accurately to changes within the market. Because of external dynamics, competition is moving towards the level of networks of organisations, and thus the individual firm is an inadequate entity for identifying improvements. The concept of continuous improvement must be applied and used in inter-organisational settings, leading to the concept of collaborative improvement. In order to gain an insight and develop knowledge of the process of collaborative improvement from a system integrator perspective, we use the network model of actors. This paper will discuss some empirical findings on the scope, scale, skill and value, and social networking of collaborative improvement as part of the network model.

[1]  R. Westbrook.  Action research: a new paradigm for research in production andoperations management , 1995 .

[2]  Alan G. Robinson,et al.  Continuous Improvement in Operations: A Systematic Approach to Waste Reduction , 1991 .

[3]  Francis Y. Lau,et al.  Toward a framework for action research in information systems studies , 1999, Inf. Technol. People.

[4]  I. Nonaka.  The knowledge creating company". Harvard Business Review : . , 1991 .

[5]  Mariano Corso,et al.  Implementing Collaborative Improvement: Lessons from an Action Research process , 2003 .

[6]  Tom R. Burns,et al.  The Management of Innovation. , 1963 .

[7]  R. Cagliano.  Integration mechanisms of intercompany processes , 2000 .

[8]  Robert E. Spekman,et al.  Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques , 1994 .

[9]  Paul Coughlan,et al.  Action research in collaborative improvement , 2006, Int. J. Technol. Manag..

[10]  Sarah Jane Caffyn.  The scope for the application of continuous improvement to the process of new product development , 1998 .

[11]  P. Ring,et al.  Structuring cooperative relationships between organizations , 1992 .

[12]  Harry Boer,et al.  From continuous improvement to continuous innovation: a (retro)(per)spective , 2003, Int. J. Technol. Manag..

[13]  M. Sobrero,et al.  Structuring Inter-firm Relationships: A Metaanalytic Approach , 1998 .

[14]  Harry Boer,et al.  CI changes: from suggestion box to organisational learning , 2000 .

[15]  H.G.A. Middel,et al.  Cultivating Collaborative Improvement: An Action Learning Approach , 2004 .

[16]  Howard E. Aldrich,et al.  Entrepreneurship Through Social Networks , 1986 .

[17]  Rich Middel,et al.  Challenging EME's to learn through collaborative improvement projects , 2003 .

[18]  M. Frohlich,et al.  Arcs of integration: an international study of supply chain strategies , 2001 .

[19]  Steven B. Andrews,et al.  Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition , 1995, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Research Design.

[20]  Harry Boer,et al.  Collaborative improvement: What do we know? Where do we need to go? , 2005 .

[21]  de Dela Johanna Lange-Ros.  Continuous improvement in teams. The (mis)fit between improvement and operational activities of improvement teams , 1999 .

[22]  D. Coghlan,et al.  Action research for operations management , 2002 .

[23]  Raymond W. Smilor,et al.  The Art and Science of Entrepreneurship , 1986 .

[24]  N. Nayab.  Kaizen: The key to Japan‚s competitive success , 2009 .

[25]  J. Bessant,et al.  High-involvement innovation through continuous improvement , 1997 .

[26]  Colin Eden,et al.  Action research for the study of organizations , 1996 .

[27]  D. Coghlan,et al.  Doing Action Research in Your Own Organization , 2000 .

[28]  Håkan Håkansson,et al.  Industrial technological development : a network approach , 1987 .

[29]  H. Boer *,et al.  Factors affecting the development of collaborative improvement with strategic suppliers , 2005 .

[30]  Gerard P. H. Olthuis,et al.  Creating and Justifying Research and Development Value: Scope, Scale, Skill and Social Networking of R&D , 2002 .

[31]  I. Nonaka,et al.  The Knowledge Creating Company , 2008 .

[32]  Paul Coughlan,et al.  Organizing for Research and Action: Implementing Action Researcher Networks , 2004 .

[33]  R. Middel *,et al.  Driving collaborative improvement processes , 2005 .