The Multifaceted Role of the Network Orchestrator — A Longitudinal Case Study

Abstract

This longitudinal empirical case study develops a new framework for the role of the orchestrator of networks of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The SME network under study is followed during six years, through five stages of its lifecycle, and demonstrates the complex and multifaceted nature of the role of the network orchestrator. Various roles are needed for the various stages in order to achieve network retention and sustainability. This multifaceted role is found to encompass the roles as knowledge broker, innovation broker, network entrepreneur and leader and strategist, where the latter emerges as the most salient. The similarities with the role of a firm manager seem paradoxial in light of the dominating view of network management, characterized by the concept of distributed and collective leadership.

How to orchestrate R&D networks? The role of orchestration subprocesses and collaborative practices over time

“…This implies that network orchestrators must master specific capabilities to be able to orchestrate innovation networks. Nilsen and Gausdal () followed an SME network for six years and verified that the orchestrator performs different roles in the various network stages to achieve member retention and sustainability. Finally, Milwood and Roehl () analysed the three orchestration subprocesses proposed by Dhanaraj and Parkhe () in the context of innovation networks among tourism entities.…”

Managing Innovation Processes Through Value Co-Creation: A Process Case From Business-to-Business Service Practise

“…This happened alongside the development of stakeholder relations and inter-organisational trust (Schilke & Cook, 2013), which unrolled over time as the network as a whole initiated and implemented value co-creation activities (Carroll & Helfert, 2015;Kohtamäki et al, 2013;Murthy et al, 2016). This confirms the role of individual leadership characteristics among the network's members for stakeholder value co-creation (Mačiuliene & Skaržauskiene, 2016;Pera et al, 2016) as well as the part played by network orchestrators in building the foundations for value co-creation (Engelen et al, 2017;Nilsen & Gausdal, 2017;Santos-Vijande et al, 2016). However, it challenges the notion that it is the network owner who must somehow lead individual value co-creation processes and overall progression throughout the emergence, expansion and maturity of a stakeholder value co-creation network (Fu et al, 2017).…”

“…As part of the case study, longitudinal data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews and archive data collection (Drori & Honig, 2013;Hadjimanolis, 2006;Langley & Truax, 1994;Nilsen & Gausdal, 2017) over a period of four years, from the ideation of EFS' platform in 2011 to the beginning of 2015.…”

“…Existing literature stresses that the engagement of individual actors over time is one of the micro-foundations of value co-creation processes (Storbacka, Brodie, Böhmann, Maglio, & Nenonen, 2016), and that network orchestrators play a crucial role in building such grounds. They do so primarily by acting as leaders and strategists while guiding the interactions aimed at value co-creation (Nilsen & Gausdal, 2017), for instance, by actively involving the frontline employees of service providers in innovation processes (Engelen, Weinekötter, Saeed, & Enke, 2017; Santos-Vijande, López-Sánchez, & Rudd, 2016). Furthermore, differences among participants' needs and interests are fundamental for value to be co-created since they stimulate new interpretations and meaning creations (Fyrberg Yngfalk, 2013).…”

Nettverksorganisasjoners betydning for kunnskapstilgang og innovasjon

“…Hva er det så ved en RINO som bidrar til å motvirke asymmetrisk kunnskapsspredning, eller på andre måter gir medlemmene bedre tilgang til innovasjonsfremmende kunnskap? Vi knytter dette til fire hovedfunksjoner som en RINO kan ha i større eller mindre grad; kunnskapsmegling, innovasjonsmegling, nettverksentreprenørvirksomhet og nettverksledelse (Nilsen & Gausdal 2017). Et overordnet spørsmål i artikkelen er på hvilken måte disse funksjonene bidrar til at bedrifter får bedre tilgang til innovasjonsfremmende kunnskap.…”