Practices for Network Management : In Search of Collaborative Advantage

353 Pages·2017·5.63 MB·English

by  Jukka Vesalainen

Edited by
JUKKA VESALAINEN
KATRI VALKOKARI
MAGNUS HELLSTRÖM
PRACTICES FOR
NETWORK MANAGEMENT
In Search of Collaborative Advantage
Practices for Network Management
Jukka Vesalainen • Katri Valkokari • Magnus Hellström
Editors
Practices for Network
Management
In Search of Collaborative Advantage
Editors
Jukka Vesalainen Magnus Hellström
University of Vaasa Åbo Akademi University
Vaasa, Finland Åbo, Finland
Katri Valkokari
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Tampere, Finland
ISBN 978-3-319-49648-1 ISBN 978-3-319-49649-8 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-49649-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016962496
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017
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Foreword
In the network era we live in today, many organizational actors in posi-
tions of management or expertise increasingly play important roles in
building, organizing, coordinating, and developing business relation-
ships, networks, or even entire ecosystems. In doing so, they face chal-
lenges for how to influence the actions of their partner firms as well as
how to align their own firms with their business partners. These “bound-
ary spanners” strive to build a shared understanding between the mem-
bers in a network. The DIMECC REBUS (Towards relational business
practices) research program was inspired by the relational view introduced
first by Dyer and Singh in 1998. The research program also wanted to
result in concrete deliverables that would have practical value for network
management, that is, developing and then studying relational business
practices in industrial networks. Therefore, the research utilized design
science approach.
The idea for a book that combined the central findings of these research
and development efforts arose from the recognition of the multidisci-
plinary nature of network management. All coauthors of this book have
written numerous papers for scientific journals and conferences on their
research results. However, writing for highly focused scientific journals
has not allowed a full exploration of the multidisciplinary nature of this
work and the systemic nature of network dynamics. In real business life,
v
vi Foreword
relational network management practices are strongly connected between
themselves and other business practices, and not much has been written
about that aspect. Further still, the text and style in the focused scientific
papers follow the lingo of each particular discipline and may be difficult
for an expert from another discipline to understand fully. In this book,
therefore, we have tried to explain the multidisciplinary content in a way
that can be understood by those from different backgrounds. Indeed, the
book targets a wide range of academic readers but also reflective practi-
tioners from industry.
Altogether, 36 authors have contributed to this edited collection of
ideas. The content of the book was formed through numerous group dis-
cussions between all the authors during the research effort. For each part
(I–III) named persons were responsible for introducing the respective
category of practices and papers. Mika Viljanen and Peter Zetting were
responsible for the introduction to Part I titled, “Networks-as-Coordinated
Social Systems”. Rainer Breite wrote the introduction to Part II titled
“Networks-as-Knowledge-Creating Platforms”. Magnus Hellström was
responsible for the introduction to Part III, which focused on “Networks-
as- Value-Generating Entities”. All the chapters discussing the tools were
peer reviewed by at least two other contributors. As editors, we have put
our combined efforts into shaping the book into a coherent and high-
quality scholarly presentation that presents a novel system framework for
network dynamics. Further still, the book establishes a clear path toward
the use of the network-as-practice view in studying inter-organizational
relationships.
The editors thank all 33 coauthors for their contributions related to
the tools presented in the three main sections of the book. We also thank
all the participating boundary-spanning managers in the 22 innovative
organizations in our consortium (and some adjacent ones) that shared
their networking experiences and practices with us during the research
effort. It was part of the research program, “Towards Relational Business
Practices” (REBUS), one of the research programs in the portfolio of the
open innovation vehicle DIMECC (the Digital, Internet, Materials &
Engineering Co-Creation Company). The DIMECC REBUS program
Forewor d vii
was funded by TEKES—the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation,
22 participating companies, and seven participating research institutions.
We also thank them for their valuable contributions.
August 30, 2016 Jukka Vesalainen
Tampere Katri Valkokari
Magnus Hellström
Contents
1 Introduction 1
Jukka Vesalainen, Katri Valkokari, and Magnus Hellström
Part I Networks-as-Coordinated Social Systems 19
2 Introduction to Part I—Viewing Networks as Social
Systems 21
Peter Zettinig and Mika Viljanen
3 Stakeholder Identification, Salience, and Strategic
Mindset Analysis 27
Danijela Majdenic, Jonathan Van Mumford, Milla Wirén,
and Peter Zettinig
4 Leading Human Values in Complex Environments 47
Johnny Långstedt, Robin Wikström, and Magnus Hellström
ix
x Contents
5 Making Sense of Network Dynamics through Network
Picturing 63
Tiina Valjakka, Valtteri Kaartemo, and Katri Valkokari
6 Functional Contracting for Network Creation and
Governance 79
Mika Viljanen, Anna Hurmerinta, Johanna Liinamaa,
Maria Ivanova-Gongne, Hanna Luotola, and
Magnus Gustafsson
7 Boundary Spanning and the Art of Persuasion 91
Jukka Vesalainen, Anni Rajala, and Joakim Wincent
Part II Networks-as-Knowledge-Creating Platforms 105
8 Introduction to Part II—Knowledge Integration in
Networks 107
Rainer Breite
9 Expert Knowledge Integration—A Systematic Approach
for Multi-stakeholder Innovation 113
Anu Suominen, Sari Mäenpää, and Rainer Breite
10 Third-Party-Supported Benchmarking for Reciprocal
Learning 131
Sari Mäenpää, Anu Suominen, and Rainer Breite
11 Value Proposition Co-development 147
Juho Ylimäki and Jukka Vesalainen
Conten ts xi
12 Relational Factors as Part of Network Relationship
Evaluation 159
Rainer Breite, Sari Mäenpää, Anu Suominen, and Mika Perho
13 A Tool for Increased Cognitive Ergonomics in
Operative Supplier Selection in a Global Context 177
Tomi Nokelainen, Magnus Hellström, and Robin Wikström
Part III Networks-as-Value-Generating Entities 197
14 Introduction to Part III—Moving Toward Mutual
Benefits and Increased Total Value 199
Magnus Hellström
15 Life Cycle Cost Calculations as the Means for Value
Communication in Networks 205
Susanna Kunttu, Outi Kettunen, and Tero Välisalo
16 The Service Configurator—How to Optimally Split
Project Scopes 219
Magnus Hellström, Víctor A. Sifontes Herrera, Robin
Wikström, and Johnny Långstedt
17 The Value-based Sales Approach—Design Process,
Tools and Needed Capabilities to Create a Solution 237
Hanna Luotola, Maria Ivanova-Gongne, and Johanna
Liinamaa
18 Value Co-creation Analysis in Customer–Supplier
Network Relationships 251
Nina Helander and Vilma Vuor