Interorganizational learning: a strategic framework for service networks

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the link between the organizing of service networks and interorganizational learning strategies. Design/methodology/approach By deepening the conceptual understanding of service networks and their central properties, an overview of the learning challenges for improved performance is provided. The implications of learning are then discussed using four conceptual types to advance our understanding of learning in various service networks. Two different frameworks are combined, one designed to analyze the properties of service delivery and the other to understand their interorganizational learning implications for different types of service networks. Findings This paper examines the central properties of service network delivery and explains their implications for interorganizational learning strategy operationalized in a service network typology. Practical implications The proposed framework deepens the understanding of the concept of service networks and brings attention to properties that have implication for interorganizational learning. Knowing the central properties in detail and their major organizing challenges allows for learning strategies to improve service network performance. Originality/value The value lies in the deepening the understanding of interorganizational learning in service networks, which is much needed in the growing body of literature on both concepts.

Interorganizational learning: a context-dependent process

“…Even though the environment is continuously gaining in complexity, interorganizational learning can help reduce uncertainty and ambiguity by promoting interorganizational dialogue, which results in a variety of meanings that could stimulate creative action. That is why Peronard (2021) identifies two interorganizational learning objects: learning to create market knowledge and learning to apply it. In that way, interorganizational learning can, in general, help provide answers to the questions what, how and why is to be learned, resulting in a constellation of services and their delivery to customers across different providers.…”

Guest editorial

“…The paper brings new knowledge to the intersection between these two fields of research by highlighting the opportunities and challenges of how different actors in service networks can strategically work with interorganizational learning to increase the performance output of their collaboration. The paper hence is a great example of the importance of organizationaland interorganizational learning in the service network literature, which is an emerging field in marketing studies (Peronard, 2021).…”

“…The studies by Peronard (2021) and Buhagiar (2021) both advance our understanding of interorganizational learning by building new theoretical understandings through their conceptual work. Different is the thought-provoking study by Solheim and Moss (2021) who embark on a mission to understand how theories of interorganizational learning can be applicable in a new empirical context, being intraorganizational learning in a large, complex and multi-sited organization as the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.…”

“…Guest editorial networks and ecosystems (Peronard and Brix, 2019;Reichenbach et al, 2021;Buhagiar, 2021;Peronard, 2021). Finally, the role of interorganizational learning in the theoretical context of organizational ambidexterity seems like a beneficial avenue for future research (Anand et al, 2021).…”

“…The argument is, that the field of interorganizational learning could act as an important auxiliary theory to better understand and explain what happens in other empirical or theoretical fields. A good example in this special issue is Peronard's (2021) study that illustrates the integration of interorganizational learning into the context of service networks (marketing). In addition to this, it is therefore also interesting to see that Solheim and Moss (2021) take interorganizational learning into the empirical context of the public sector which traditionally is founded more on research in public administration and political science.…”