In search of collective action: interorganizational learning strategies adopted by organizations that establish relationships in horizontal networks

Abstract

This work was inspired by the studies developed by Larsson et al. (1998) and aims at identifying individual strategies for interorganizational learning adopted by organizations that establish relationships in horizontal networks, as well as verifying the most appropriate combination of these strategies to the quest for collective action thus promoting the results of interorganizational learning. This research is of a qualitative and exploratory nature and the method adopted to achieve the results is the case study with multiple units of analysis. The study was conducted in a network, composed of thirteen gaucho companies in the branch of supermarkets. The data was obtained through the application of a questionnaire to investigate the strategies adopted by organizations in relation to the learning achievement of individual organizations and through in-depth interviews with managers in the thirteen organizations studied. The predominance of strategic behaviors that vary from the strategy of commitment towards the strategy of competition between the companies analyzed were identified. This trend signals a limited transfer in terms of knowledge requiring some consideration on the reasons that restrict the degrees of transparency and receptivity on the part of companies that establish partnership relations.

Key words: interorganizational learning, horizontal networks, interorganizational relationships.