The Past in Play: Tradition in the Structures of Collaboration

Inter-organizational collaboration has been argued to present as many complex challenges as it tries to solve. In this paper, we explore the role of tradition in these challenging and problematic contexts. In particular, we are concerned with the ways in which traditions emerge, endure or change in relationship with (and in the context of) collaborative structures. Our research in three collaborative situations indicates that traditions can be found at work in collaboration at a range of temporal depths amongst overlapping groups, networks and societal structures. Through the characterization of the different temporal depths of traditions and their relationship to collaborative structures, this paper develops a theory of the role of tradition in collaboration. In particular, through drawing out the effects of the different forms of tradition in collaborative network structures, this study also yields insights for the theory and practice of interorganizational collaboration.