The Power of Collaboration in Innovation Management–A Concept Paper on ‘Competing by Collaborating’

DOI: 10.5176/2251-2039_IE1266

Authors: Alamuri Suryanarayana

Abstract: Globally, a growing number of markets and industries are characterized by what may be called ‘hyper-competition’. In such markets, leave alone thriving, surviving itself requires a managerial mindset that blends hard-nosed competitive energy with sensitive collaborative skills. It would be truly ironic if a fundamental misunderstanding, that the heart of capitalism is competition rather than collaboration, weakened the system that has such enormous potential for building individual happiness and freedom. This Paper has four sections. The first is about how to collaborate with one’s own competitors. The second is about collaboration with one’s industry—with the fellow employees, suppliers, and those who form part of its value chain. The third is about collaborating with one’s customers. And the last section deals with teamwork—collaborating with one’s colleagues, which, surprisingly, modern managers sometimes find the most challenging of all. There are instances where in, through consortia, firms have derived unparalleled technology efficiencies. Similarly, rather than purchasing a position in the company, organizations pursued strategies through “partner option” and established strategic alliances that gave them sustainable competitive advantage for quite some time. An attempt will also be made, through small case studies, to demonstrate the power of innovating through “Competing by Collaborating”.