Relational capabilities as effectiveness fundamentals in inter-firm cooperation

Abstract

The aim of this article is to broaden exploratory perspective of the problem of interorganizational cooperation. Economists often pay greater attention to economic (e.g. transaction costs, access to new capabilities) and market (e.g. increasing market power) factors underlying the decision to cooperate with other organizations and seem to neglect the so-called soft factors determining eventual success or failure of cooperation. The article presents a theoretical study in which on the basis of a broad literature study, the author examines selected factors highly influencing the shape and efficiency of interfirm alliances, that are mentioned not only by economists but are subjects of sociological and psychological analyses as well. Among all, the so-called relational capabilities may be of greatest importance. Partnering experience, social embeddedness, interorganizational trust, learning ability, as well as relational mechanisms may be considered as critical success factors in cooperative relationships. The author gives weight to non-economic aspects of management in cooperative relations, as this direction is often neglected in research on the subject of interorganizational collaboration.