Collaboration : A New Beast ?

InnoWaTr Centre of Expertise

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Somorowsky * ( 2022 ) suggests that collaboration can be described along

three dimensions ( see above ) :

- Incentive alignment is the degree of sharing risks , costs and benefits

amongst project parties . This dimension hightights the major differentiator

to cooperation . Cooperating entities sitll follow their own goals , whereas in

collaborative situations they are expected to achieve joint goals .

- Decision synchronisation is the degree to which all parties pursue the

same objectives and decide jointly .

Information sharing describes actions to collect and provide timely and

relevant information amongst all parties

Collaboration requires trust to limit opportunistic behaviour of project parties

and there must be a high willingness to share risks and rewards even if there

are unequal powers of participation amongst the parties see right

Bringing partners together to pursue joint goals , such as building freight flows ,

requires a collaborative rather than a mere cooperative mind - set .

What is the difference between coordination and collaboration ?

Collaboration originates from the latin word „ labore “ , meaning to labour in a

sense minating a joint or mutual effort , collaboration requires two or more

people or organisations that work together for a common purpose to plan

and execute – say – a project .

The word " cooperate " originates from the Late Latin word “ cooperari ” ,

meaning " to work together " or " to work with " . Although both words are

sometimes used synonomuously , collaboration comes with the added

suggestion that any joint effort is carried out for a common purpose . In that

respect , „ to collaborate “ is stronger than „ to cooperate “ .

Consequently , a coalition could be understood as an alliance of groups ,

persons , or ( political ) parties working together for mutual benefit . To coalesce

– the related verb – comes with a meaning of “ to merge ” or “ to affiliate ” ,

underpinning the deep integration at the heart of any coalition .

Lars Stemmler

Somorowsky Carolyn 2022 A Collaborative Approach to Financing Supply Chains Springer Gabler Wiesbaden

Incentive Alignment

Decision Synchronisation

Information Sharing

Willingness to Share

Risks and Rewards

Trust