Innova&ng  for  environmental  performance:    Managing  the  tension  between  compe&&on  and  collabora&on  in  alliance  

forma&on  

Project:    D228  

Dr.  Natalie  Slawinski,  Memorial  University  of  Newfoundland  Dr.  Tima  Bansal,  Western  University  

Dr.  Frances  Bowen,  University  of  London    Dr.  Connie  Van  der  Byl,  Mount  Royal  University  (Presen&ng)  

The  Study  

•  Research  QuesFon:    How  do  firms  manage  the  tension  between  compeFFon  and  collaboraFon  inherent  in  alliance  formaFon  that  targets  innovaFon  for  environmental  performance?    

•  Canada's  Oil  Sands  InnovaFon  Alliance  (COSIA)  and  its  predecessor  OSLI  (Oil  Sands    Leadership  IniFaFve)  

What  we  did  

•  QualitaFve  InducFve  In  Depth  Case  Study  •  59  interviews  of  oil  sands  managers  and  industry  experts,  with  most  parFcipants  being  members  of  OSLI  and  COSIA,  from  December  2011  to  July  2013.  

•  Data  analysis  in  NVivo  •  Paradox  Theory  

Collabora&on  vs  Compe&&on  

What  we  found  

Phase 4: Acceptance

and temporary balance

Phase 3: Collaborative Mechanisms - equilibration

Phase 2: Re-emergence

of Tension

Phase 1: Impetus to Collaborate

• CompeFFve  pressures  dominate  over  need  to  collaborate  

• CollaboraFon  and  compeFFon  deeply  interconnected  despite  polarity  

Stakeholder  Pressures  on  Industry  2008  -­‐  2010  

OSLI  first  project  launch  2008  

OSLI  officially  formed    and  OSTC  founded      2010  

COSIA  Alliance  FormaFon  -­‐  Stage  1:    ConceptualizaFon                

Fall  2010  -­‐  June  2011  

COSIA  Alliance  FormaFon  -­‐  Stage  2:    Agreement  on  Principles  June  2011  -­‐  

March  2012  

COSIA  Alliance  FormaFon  -­‐  Stage  3:    Signing  of  the  4  Joint  Venture  Agreements    March  2012  -­‐  Setpember  

2013  

What  it  means  •  CollaboraFon  to  address  environmental  issues  affecFng  

an  industry  •  Process  or  “how”  of  alliance  formaFon      

–  temporary  equilibrium  is  achieved  but  tensions  do  not  necessarily  get  resolved  or  eliminated  but,  rather,  resurface  in  other  similar  forms    

•  Tensions  need  to  be  conFnually  managed  •  champions  used  mechanisms,  such  as  peer  pressure,  that  

played  to  managers’  compeFFve  sides,  but  that  were  designed  to  sFmulate  collaboraFon.  

•  Paradox  theory  in  considering  complexity  of  sustainability  issues  and  to  miFgate  polarizaFon  –  tensions  yield  important  insights  and  can  show  the  way  forward  when  they  are  embraced  rather  than  ignored