Competence requirements for managing supply in interorganizational networks

Abstract

There is evidence of research in various fields that has relevance to the examination ofcompetence requirements for managing in interorganizational networks, However, research todate is limited in its potential application to managing supply in inter-organisational networksand particularly so when those networks relate to public sector services. This empirical paperbuilds on prior research on managing supply in interorganizational networks by identifyingthe skills, knowledge, traits, and behavioural indicators (collectively termed ?competence?)associated with effective team performance. Within the wider context of a long-term actionresearch programme on the strategic management of supply in supply networks, interviewswere conducted with members of teams learning to undertake a variety of networkmanagement roles such as innovation facilitator and information broker. The findings arepresented in the form of a competence framework, with the aim of capturing the developing,but still fragmented and largely tacit, understanding among the teams about the strategicmanagement of supply. Competence indicators are organized into six themes: networkunderstanding; developing network position; relationship management; learning, knowledgeand knowledge management; strategy formulation; strategy implementation. The completeframework is presented.We advocate further research to evaluate the usefulness of the competence framework inpractice and the generalisability of the framework. In particular we propose to investigate itsapplicability to examining boundary-spanning teams not directly involved with the purchasingfunction.