Learning with startups: an empirically grounded typology

Abstract

Purpose Corporate-startup collaboration is an opportunity for inter-organizational learning. This paper aims to develop an empirically grounded typology to guide researchers and managers in choosing a model that is coherent with the underlying learning processes. Design/methodology/approach The empirical research consisted of three phases. First, 30 large companies were interviewed to identify different models of interaction. Second, eight different models and cases were selected, and a list of key characteristics of each model was drawn based on the empirical data, obtaining a first typology. Third, the typology was tested, improved and validated on nine corporations. Findings The main result of the study is an empirically grounded typology of models for corporate-startup interaction and inter-organizational learning. Six dimensions distinguish each model from the others. Research limitations/implications The paper contributes to extend the literature on inter-organizational learning through different models of corporate-startups interaction. It also contributes to organizational ambidexterity theory, showing how collaboration with startups can improve exploitation and exploration. Practical implications The typology provides an instrument for analyzing and selecting operational models for corporate-startup collaboration and learning. The models can be modified or broadened, creating new hybrids. Originality/value The paper presents a novel way of looking at corporate-startup relations by studying them through the lens of organizational learning theory. It explains the existence of different inter-organizational arrangements and provides guidance in selecting the correct model.

Interorganizational learning: a context-dependent process

“…For that purpose, Steiber et al (2021) provided an empirically grounded typology of interorganizational learning between large corporations and startups in terms of collaboration models. For instance, in interorganizational learning, emphasis could be on large corporations, which form units that get in contact with external startups to work on market innovations in terms of knowledge co-creation.…”

“…Even though startups are known to collaborate and exchange ideas and knowledge, especially when they share physical infrastructure such as in business incubators, their learning and knowledge exchange with established and larger organizations are even more interesting and equally important for both parties. Learning of larger organizations with startups is addressed by Steiber et al (2021). Large organizations, with their complex organization structure, are often prone to reducing and even losing their entrepreneurial orientation and capacity to learn and change, leading to stagnation and decline in their performance.…”

Guest editorial

“…Their empirically grounded study offers a typology that can enable organizations in identifying relevant interaction models with startups that can foster interorganizational learning in such way that continuous relevancy of such organizations can be uphold. This paper therefore represents an important source of reference for scholars interested in strategic renewal of organizations and the interorganizational processes related hereto (Steiber et al, 2021).…”

“…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. Finally, the studies by Steiber et al (2021), Haneberg (2021) and Reichenbach et al (2021) all use empirical evidence to build new theoretical knowledge to our field; they would thus categorize as "theory-expanders" according to Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan (2007). The details of the concrete theoretical contributions can naturally be found in the individual papers in this special issue.…”

“…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 point is, that a concrete view on both how processes of exploration and exploitation and the work of "structuring" such processes across organizational boundaries brings out features important to understand the implicit (or explicit) organization design of new, interorganizational collaborations and also the innovation and types of learning outcomes that different versions of "structured settings" enable (Brix, 2019;Steiber et al, 2021;Brix et al, 2021).…”