Images of Partnership: Metaphor and Mindfulness in Interorganizational Collaboration David J. Siegel East Carolina University, USA

Outline  Ways of viewing metaphor  Metaphor in organizational analysis  Metaphor in interorganizational collaboration  Brief background on study of LEAD  Three images of partnership  Concluding Propositions

Ways of Viewing Metaphor  Species of figurative language: decorative, poetic, “linguistic seasoning”  Central to our perception and experience: “Our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature”

Metaphors in Organizational Analysis   Contain descriptive power (machines, organisms, instruments of domination, garbage cans, jazz ensembles, athletic teams, theatres, savage tribes, space stations, octopoids)   Promote new ways of seeing (mindfulness)   Help to construct reality (shape practice)   Rehabilitate “tired” concepts

Metaphorical Thinking in Interorganizational Collaboration   Illustrates character/dynamics of collaboration more precisely   Allows us to “see” developmental phases   Facilitates learning   Develops social trust, mutual understanding, and routine   Solidifies group relations, improves performance

Background of the Study  LEAD Program in Business is a cross-sector, interorganizational partnership to build a pipeline of diversity into higher education and business  Lumina Foundation for Education funded study of partnership dynamics  Semi-structured interviews with 77 informants across sectors  Three central metaphors emerged: (1) Pipeline, (2) Venn Diagram, and (3) Triple Helix  Naming of metaphors was a co-creation (emic and etic approach)

The Pipeline Metaphor Qualities Captured Operational Objectives Implied Value Proposition Referenced Roots or Surrogates Fit and flow Optimal assembly and coordination of differentiated roles in order to complete tasks Delivery of value to ultimate beneficiaries Supply chain, pools

The Venn Diagram Metaphor Qualities Captured Operational Objectives Implied Value Proposition Referenced Roots or Surrogates Scope or area of overlapping interest Maintenance and/or expansion of common interests Sensitivity to interests of partners, both in the context of partnership and outside of it Overlap, interlock

The Triple Helix Metaphor Qualities Captured Operational Objectives Implied Value Proposition Referenced Roots or Surrogates Connectedness Shared sense of strategic purpose or philosophical approach to social problem solving; frequency or intensity of connections Perception of interdependence and tightness of partnership; signaling solidarity to external audiences Threads, helices, interweaving

Propositions  Proposition 1: Metaphors may be used in interorganizational alliances to develop social trust, solidify group relations, indicate shared understandings, and improve partnership performance.  Proposition 2: Metaphor usage in a cross-sector, interorganizational alliance may reference particular combinations of relationships, specific functions, and elements of timing.  Proposition 3: Pipeline metaphors may be used as a diagnostic, investigative, or interpretive tool to access member perceptions of task coordination and sequencing, role differentiation, and overall fit.  Proposition 4: The Venn diagram metaphor may be used to describe the scope of partnership by referring to specific combinations of relationships, what is shared by members, and the perceived degree of sensitivity to issues outside of the partnership.  Proposition 5: The metaphor of the triple helix may be used to indicate the degree of connectedness and interdependence in a partnership, with special reference to a shared sense of strategic purpose, a shared philosophy of social engagement, or operational coordination.

Contact Information David J. Siegel, Ph.D. Associate Professor Dept. of Educational Leadership East Carolina University Greenville, NC