The role of the organizational and operational dimensions in the open collaboration performance: a strategic alignment perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the business model and the strategic intent to adopt an open collaboration initiative influence the perceived quality of collaboration outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a framework to analyze the role of the strategic dimension and the operational dimension in open collaboration initiatives through multiple case studies in three companies to understand how the open collaboration initiative was deployed and how was the level of the alignment between these two dimensions. Findings The studied cases revealed that when an open collaboration initiative starts in the strategic dimension and there is an alignment between the organizational dimension and operational dimension, the collaboration outcomes are clearer and more traceable. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the need to consider the involvement and the internal alignment between strategic and operational dimensions when deploying an open collaboration activity if they want to achieve all the benefits. Practical implications The presented framework can help managers to evaluate and understand how open collaboration activities are deployed within the company. Social implications The study shows that when an open collaboration initiative is planned, its results and benefits can be extended to local communities by developing them. Originality/value This study aims to analyze the open collaboration initiative’s contribution to the overall organizational performance through the alignment between the organizational dimension and operational dimension perspective.