From Boundary Objects to Boundary Infrastructure: A Process Study of Collaboration between Big Science and Big Business

Abstract

The development of a novel boundary infrastructure for large‐scale interorganizational collaboration presents a challenge that is ill‐understood: how can individual boundary objects, which do not suffice for large‐scale collaboration and might even engender conflict, be developed into a coherent boundary infrastructure that facilitates the crossing of multiple boundaries? In a longitudinal study, we investigated how Helix Nebula – a collaboration among Europe's big science and big business organizations – developed a cloud computing infrastructure for scientific research. Our findings show that the process involves two recursive mechanisms. The scaffolding of boundary objects helps organizations to iteratively create various technical and organizational objects that support each other's development. The reconfiguring of coalitions involves organizations constantly rearranging into subgroups, which enables them to accommodate their differences and common needs. Our study contributes a process model of how organizations develop boundary objects into a coherent boundary infrastructure and shines light on the role of scaffolding and the political dynamics of coalitions as a driving force for large‐scale interorganizational collaboration.