Coworking spaces and collaborative practices

Abstract

Collaborative practices underlie the creation of innovation yet how and when these practices emerge is not well understood, particularly given the presence of flexible and open workspaces. Based on seven case studies of entrepreneurial Tech/FinTech firms in London, we explore how collaborative spaces lead to collaborative practices, when they do. Our findings suggest the enabling and inhibiting role of interstitial spaces (e.g. informality and spatiality) and identify catalysts in the emergence of collaborative practices in a coworking space. A theoretical and critical contextualisation advances our understanding of how collaborative practices emerge and articulates the conditionality of openness in the form of underlying mechanisms for collaboration and, subsequently (open) innovation outcomes. We discuss implications for future research and management of coworking spaces.

‘I like the “buzz”, but I also suffer from it’: Mitigating interaction and distraction in collective workplaces

“…These observations stand in sharp contrast to a large body of literature discussing the affordances of collective work practices in terms of community (Avdikos and Iliopoulou, 2019; Blagoev et al, 2019; Garrett et al, 2017; Spinuzzi et al, 2019), learning (Butcher, 2018; Wijngaarden et al, 2020), social support (Gerdenitsch et al, 2016; Merkel, 2019a) and collaboration (Yacoub and Haefliger, 2022). The vast literature on coworking shows the manifold actions forming and shaping communities.…”

“…Therefore, and fourth, despite the ubiquity of silence, users frequently interacted, collaborated and shared information. Yet, contradicting the idea of interstitial spaces as catalysts for collaboration (Yacoub and Haefliger, 2022), members rarely did so in open spaces or in goal-oriented settings such as network lunches. Rather, they exchanged ideas in the more liminal areas such as corridors, kitchens, porches or the smokers’ balcony (see De Vaujany and Aroles, 2019; Shortt, 2015).…”

“…Similarly, such places – by fostering ‘accelerated serendipity’ (see Moriset, 2013; Waters-Lynch and Potts, 2017) – offer meaningful interactions with others having similar values yet different and complementary experiences, skills and networks (Brown, 2017). Using the idea of interstitial spaces, Yacoub and Haefliger (2022) explain how collaborative innovative practices – that is, the initiation of joint problem solving – between coworking members emerge. In the vast body of work on co-location from a geographic perspective, the concept of ‘buzz’ is often used to denote this access to ‘a concoction of rumours, impressions, recommendations, trade folklore and strategic misinformation’ (Grabher, 2002: 209).…”

“…The vast literature on coworking shows the manifold actions forming and shaping communities. Such communities have the potential to positively contribute to the users' personal and professional development and even innovation (Yacoub and Haefliger, 2022). Yet, community formation is only possible through verbal interactions, and so is access to the 'buzzing' rumours and knowledge (Grabher, 2002).…”

“…This helps in gaining a better understanding on how to best curate a collective workplace (Brown, 2017; Merkel, 2019b; Waters-Lynch and Duff, 2021b) and how to reap the benefits of coworking (e.g. collaboration and innovation – see Capdevila, 2015; Schmidt et al, 2014; Wijngaarden et al, 2021; Yacoub and Haefliger, 2022).…”