A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT A Resource-based View on Collaboration between Firms and Local Partners in a Non-urban Swedish Context Lotten Svensson 2 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT GRADUATION COMMITTEE: Chairman and Secretary: Prof. dr. Th.A.J. Toonen, University of Twente Promotor: Prof. dr. C.P.M. Wilderom, University of Twente Co-promotor: Dr. J. Andersén, University of Skövde, Sweden Members: Prof. dr. M. Boogers, University of Twente Prof. dr. G-J. Hospers, University of Nijmegen Prof. dr. ir. L.J.M. Nieuwenhuis, University of Twente Prof. dr. J. Rijsman, University of Tilburg 3 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT DISSERTATION To obtain the degree of doctor at the University of Twente, on the authority of the rector magnificus, Prof. dr. T.T.M. Palstra, on account of the decision of the graduation committee, to be publicly defended on Friday, the 16th of December, 2016 at 12.45 hrs. by Lotten Svensson born on the 20th of January 1969 in Stora Ek, Mariestad, Sweden 4 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT This PhD dissertation has been approved by: Prof. dr. C.P.M. Wilderom (Promotor) Dr. J. Andersén (Co-promotor) Cover design: Lollo Persson Copyright 2016 Lotten Svensson, Skövde, Sweden ISBN: 978-90-365-4175-6 5 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT Summary Is it feasible to stimulate informal collaboration among non-urban firms and local public- and other private-sector actors, whereby they jointly strengthen the competitiveness of these firms? To answer this question, firms’ collaboration with local partner’s actors were examined. Most of the studied firms in this thesis are embedded in a regional “ecosystem” of a country (Sweden), with the usual set of public- and third-sector (not-for- profit) actors. Firms that “exploit” all their local external actors do create additional resources for themselves. This thesis argues that such fuller use is feasible and perhaps necessary in a non-urban Swedish context. The Resource-Based Theory (RBT) considers mainly internal firm resources to achieve superior performance. In order to extend this theory in the context of a non-urban area, collaborative excellence is advocated through informal public-private collaboration that can help firms to flourish economically. The collaboration between the public and the private sectors can also enhance a common spirit or identity of a place. Action Design Research (ADR) Methodology is invoked in this thesis, together with other supporting methods, such as interviews and observations as well as archival data analysis. The intervention was held as a set of workshops and has been used as a key research method at the same time. The results capture, amongst others, views from municipal management, private companies, and community (not-for-profit) associations. The essential aim of this research was to enhance the quality of the interactions among the key individuals from these organizations in their efforts to strengthen productive cooperation between the public and the private sectors. Informal public-private collaboration is important. Thus, more understanding of how such collaboration can be used effectively is paramount. This thesis shows that it is feasible to develop collaboration in a specific Swedish non-urban context when successful private firms and a municipality work well together with relevant, not-for- profit organizations that are also located in, and concerned with, the same region. Therefore, when addressing the competitive potential of a location, the quality of the informal public-private collaboration, should be considered. The abductive research approach of this study aims to offer an understanding of how informal collaboration between firms and local, non- commercial partners may take place, aiming for firms to flourish. 6 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT Samenvatting/Summary of this PhD thesis in Dutch Is informele samenwerking in niet-stedelijke gemeenten mogelijk tussen de daar gevestigde bedrijven en publieke-sector partijen, teneinde de gezamenlijke concurrentiepositie te stimuleren? Om deze vraag te kunnen beantwoorden is informele samenwerking gecreëerd en onderzocht tussen representanten van een rurale Zweedse gemeente; de grote in de gemeente gevestigde bedrijven; en belangrijke lokale not-for-profit organisaties. De participerende bedrijven hebben allen hun wortels in hetzelfde Zweedse gebied. In de vorm van twee workshops werkten ze samen. Deze thesis voert het argument aan dat een dergelijke vorm van samenwerking wellicht nodig is in niet-stedelijke Europese regios. Bedrijven die informeel met lokale externe partijen samenwerken creëren zo additionele middelen of mogelijkheden voor zichzelf en de regio. De zogenaamde Resource-based Theory (RBT)) neemt voornamelijk interne bedrijfsmiddelen/mogelijkheden in ogenschouw om superieure prestaties te leveren. Deze theorie kan uitgebreid worden, waarbij ook lokale externe middelen/mogelijkheden, verkregen via de in deze thesis geschetste lokale inter-organisationele samenwerking, ingezet kunnen worden om bedrijven in rurale gebieden te doen laten floreren. Samenwerking tussen representanten van de private en publieke sector kunnen daarbij tevens een productieve gemeenschappelijke lokale identiteit scheppen of bevestigen. Deze dissertatie laat zien hoe informele publiek-private samenwerking tevens daaraan kan bijdragen. In dit proefschrift wordt de zgn. Action Design Research (ADR) methode ingezet, tezamen met andere methoden, zoals participerende observaties als (historische) analyse van bestaande data. De interventie werd ingezet in de vorm van twee opeenvolgende workshops waarin actief werd geparticipeerd door de belangrijkste representanten vanuit de lokale organisatiegemeenschap: bedrijven; gemeente en organisaties zonder winstoogmerk. In dit proefschrift zijn de gepercipieerde effecten geschetst van deze bijzondere workshops (bijzonder, qua samenstelling en qua opzet). Toekomstig onderzoek zou op een meer systematische en longitudinale wijze de effecten bij en via de verschillende samenwerkende partners kunnen gaan traceren. Het hoofddoel van dit proefschriftonderzoek was om te onderzoeken of deze informele tripartite samenwerking tussen de voornaamste representanten van deze organisaties mogelijk en zinvol was, en zo ja of meer van dit soort samenwerkingsconstructies aanbevelenswaard en onderzoekwaardig zijn. Dit proefschrift laat zien dat de RBT gebruikt en zelfs uitgebreid zou kunnen worden met behulp van dit soort belangrijke informele 7 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT samenwerking tussen deze gevarieerde rurale partijen. Het lijkt er namelijk op dat achter de geïnduceerde type publieke-private samenwerking extra bedrijfs- en onderzoeks-mogelijkheden schuil gaan. Het begrijpen of en hoe dergelijke niet-stedelijke lokale samenwerking effectief kan worden aangewend lijkt daarom van groot practisch en theoretisch belang. Het sterk begaan zijn met dezelfde regio is uiteraard een voorwaarde voor de keuze van de representanten die meedoen aan de workshops. Het grotendeels descriptieve karakter van het proefschrift probeert de lezer inzichten te geven in nieuwe bedrijfskansen die uitgaan van informele regionale samenwerking tussen bedrijven en representanten van de publieke sector in een niet-stedelijk Zweedse context. 8 A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW ON COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRMS AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN A NON-URBAN SWEDISH CONTEXT Acknowledgments This PhD thesis has been a long journey – almost a roller coaster ride in which I have had to rely on my courage, my stamina, my heart and my brain. At last, here is the result – a doctoral thesis that I hope can inspire change for the better, even if just a little, for many people. Thank you, everyone, for standing by my side on this journey. Viking and Zaga – Many thanks for your help and support. As the world’s best children, you have always helped me stay positive and find the bright spots in life. Thanks to all my family from Boterstena and Böja, my mother, father, sisters Lollo, Linda and Louise, over the many years of my work. You always cheered me on, even when the journey was difficult and challenging. Professor Celeste Wilderom – Thank you for your sincere support throughout the entire thesis process. You are my role model. To my Swedish associate professor Jim Andersén – Thank you for your guidance, especially related to the RBT aspects of my thesis. Professor Stefan Tengblad – Thank you for your support and encouragement. Eva Akersten, Dr. Mikael Wickelgren, Jan Sedenka, Jessika Cullberg and Elisabeth Insulander – Thank you for your constant support as I researched and wrote this thesis. Professors; Ingrid Bergh, Anne Persson and Margaretha Oudhuis – Thank you for all your support and advice. To all my other colleagues – A huge thank you for your support. To Dr. Bahram Hooshyar Yousefi –many thanks for helping me out with the charts and Dr. Susanne Durst – many thanks for your insightful suggestions. To all the fantastic entrepreneurs, local