The Difference Between Collaboration Advantage and Collaboration Inertia

(Ans) Collaboration can be defined as a process, where two or more people or organizations work together to achieve shared goals by sharing knowledge, learning, and building consensus.

In order to explore the nature of the practice of collaboration, the author has specifically focused on some of the concepts which challenges the individuals involved in collaborative alliance. Two main concepts have been explored to justify the challenges of the individuals. They are (i) Collaborative advantage, and (ii) Collaborative inertia. There exist dilemmas between these two concepts. Both the terms create a dilemma and a question arise of – “If achievement of collaborative advantage is the goal for those who initiate collaborative arrangements, why is collaborative inertia so often the outcome.” [Huxham, C, and Vangen, S. p- 53] These two concepts draw out the reason of what is always taken as granted in collaboration and what actually happens. Such perspectives results in collaborative inertia, even if the goal is to achieve the collaborative advantage.

(i) Collaborative Advantage – This is the positive experience of collaborative alliances, which captures the synergy argument. The term has been defined as the beneficial factor or combination of factors one should achieve from collaboration. Partnership which handles social issues that would otherwise fall apart and help in development is defined as collaborative advantage. To understand the meaning of collaborative advantage we should know the common bases for collaborative advantage. These bases include –

Access to resource - One of the reasons to collaborate is to take advantage of resources. For example, an inter-company collaborates to place a product in the market where one compa...

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...do and this rise of disagreement. For example, network managers are often in powerful position during meeting.

Trust is necessary for successful collaboration but we are suspicious of each other – For example sometimes partners are selected by the policy which may lead to lack of trust in each group.

We are partnership-fatigued and tired of being pulled in all directions - For example, local government organization may be in collaboration with different groups.

Everything keeps changing – Stability of membership can be taken as granted. Everything keeps on changing in real seen. For example if there are change in government policy.

Leadership is not always in the hands of members and it continually meet with dilemmas and difficulties.

So, in order to take collaborative advantages, one should handle collaborative challenges in order to minimize collaborative inertia.