Collective Competence and Systemic Thinking: An Inter-organizational Context

Abstract

The collective competence is viewed as the ability of a group of individuals acting collectively towards a common goal. It is more than the sum of the individual competences, and its management asks for breaking barriers of segmented views and for understanding the importance of managing the interconnections. This study aims to identify the presence of a collective competence in the Brazilian Wine Industry. For this purpose, we collected and analyzed data through case study method, content analysis and systems thinking tools. We analyzed the data according to four elements: sensemaking, interactive action, know-how to communicate and know-how to cooperate. The systemic structure that resulted from the case analysis shows no well-established collective competence and the results show a lack of elements such as, cooperation, communication and predisposition to share knowledge and competences. This presents a situation similar to the archetype named "accidental adversaries" that is characterized by some unconnected elements. These elements may address the emergence of a collective competence.