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Review of Research Finds that Theories of Collaboration are Incomplete A review of research finds 6 distinct explanations for collaborative alliances. None, however, is able to explain fully the preconditions, processes, and outcomes of collaboration. Any comprehensive theory of collaboration must start with a revised definition.

How is a Community Built Through Social Capital? > What is social capital? Why is it important in building a community? A group of researchers present a "ladder of community building" that shows how strong communities are built up from the social capital contained in face-to-face interactions. >

The most robust definition (and the most commonly cited) seems to be found in Barbara Gray's Collaborating: Finding Common Ground for Multiparty Problems. She describes collaboration as "a process through which parties who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible."[5] In Collaborative Leadership, David Chrislip and Carl Larson offer a slightly different but also useful definition: "It is a mutually beneficial relationship between two or more parties who work toward common goals by sharing responsibility, authority, and accountability for achieving results."[6]

What Is Collaboration? Wood and Gray say that each definition of collaboration used in the articles reviewed has at least one important element missing. They say that any definition must be able to answer the following: Who is doing what, with what means, toward what ends? "This leads us to create the following revised definition," they write: Collaboration occurs when a group of autonomous stakeholders of a problem domain engage in an interactive process, using shared rules, norms, and structures, to act or decide on issues related to that domain. Stakeholders may have shared or differing interests in a problem domain, and these interests may change over time. Some degree of autonomy is required, or else stakeholders "merge" rather than "collaborate." Rules for governing interactions must be implicitly or explicity agreed upon. Acting or deciding is needed to reach a common objective. The domain is the issue or set of issues that stakeholders are interested in, such as local traffic congestion or a nation's economic health. Wood and Gray say that this definition is general enough to include a wide array of collaborative forms but specific enough to exclude others, such as blue ribbon panels that never meet, corporate mergers, and clubs that have no specific problem-solving objectives. The authors next discuss the other 3 issues confronting a comprehensive theory of collaboration.

The architecture of cooperation: managing coordination costs and appropriation concerns in strategic alliances.

Imagine the complexities of modern communications condensed into a seamless experience with one address book, one voice mail, and one login across every mode of communication. That's what Microsoft is doing. We're combining e-mail, IM, voice, and video into a single, intuitive system built around people, not technology. And we're building it all into the Microsoft Office system the world knows and trusts. Companies will replace conflicting systems with a single, unified communications platform that leverages their existing data and telecommunications infrastructure. IT departments will deliver more flexible, more secure communications, with simplified infrastructure that streamlines management and reduces total cost of ownership. People-centric, integrated, secure communications that's the promise of Microsoft's vision for unified communications.

The Ideal Collaborative Team AND A Conversation on the Collaborative Process

reveals that most people would rather have inexperienced people with a positive attitude than highly experienced people who lack enthusiasm, candor or commitment, on a collaborative work team.

What Corporate Projects Should Learn from Open Source

we introduce five basic principles that should be applied to every software development project. These principles, if adhered to, will help lead to success on any project, open source or proprietary. These principles are: Tell the truth all the time Trust the team Review everything, test everything All developers are created equal The fastest way through the project is to do it right

Will That Be Coordination, Cooperation, or Collaboration?