perspective (McLaughlin, 1998; Boris and Steuerle, 1999; Austin, 2003;
Wymer and Samu, 2003). Furthermore, there is an opportunity for comparing collaborations in different sectors in order to identify the extent that the drivers and processes of collaboration are similar or distinctive. Studying partnership dynamics is an important accompa- nying perspective. Are there identifiable stages in the evolution of these relationships?
How can one most effectively create, manage, and govern social purpose networks?
Beyond alliances, an increasingly important and understudied form of collaboration is networks. Understanding network dynamics may also require a study of how to most effectively manage stakeholder relations. While networks in general have been the subject of exten- sive scrutiny in the organizational behavior and sociology literature (Powell and Smith-Doerr, 1994; Ebers, 1997), our interest is to ex- plore the extent to which social purpose networks among social enterprises are distinct (Weiner and Alexander, 1998; Dees, Anderson and Wei-Skillern, 2004).
How can one create maximum value through collaborations?
To be sustainable, collaborations must generate value for the partners and the larger society. Existing research suggests that the magnitude of value depends significantly on the type of resources deployed (Kanter, 1999; Austin, 2000) and the depth and breadth of alignment of partners’ missions, values, and strategies. (Austin, Reficco et al., 2004).
Deepening our understanding of the value creation process is impor- tant. Accompanying this is the inevitable need to focus on how to measure value.
emerging field, SE offers rich opportunities for researching collabora- tively. The more we learn together, the faster and more robustly the field will develop. This book is an encouraging manifestation of such a collective contribution to our shared intellectual journey.
Note
1. This network consists of nine business schools in Latin America, one in Spain, and one in the US and its mission is to advance the frontiers of knowledge and practice in social enterprise; see: http://www.sekn.org.
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