Using Network Analysis to Discover Cooperation Opportunities in Inter-organizational Networks

Abstract

In a network of organizations, members are often faced with the problem of choosing partners for closer cooperation within this network. Consequently, network members collect information about potential partners to reach informed decisions about for instance starting new joint development projects or harvesting best practices. The large amounts of information involved in these decision processes obscure possibilities, and choices are made ad hoc. In this paper, we present an approach that uses techniques from network analysis to support organizations in processing and understanding this information. Central in our approach are network visualizations that help in comparing gaps between the aspired and current development levels of the processes of the member organizations. The advantage of our approach, which we validated via expert interviews, is that such visualizations are generated semi-automatically and offer an overall view of the current and aspired situation in the network without losing the ability to pinpoint particular, individual processes of interest. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.