Citation
Murray, Genevra F.; Lewis, Valerie A.; & D'Aunno, Thomas (2021). Interpersonal Relationships, Dynamic Reinforcement, and Alliance Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 1, 16084.Abstract
The alliance literature has identified common alliance problems, including shirking and conflict among members. This literature has largely focused on structural factors, including governance mechanisms, that promote alliance stability and performance. We use a case study to develop theory focused on mechanisms through which alliances can overcome common problems, developing the concept of “dynamic reinforcement.” We employ a longitudinal case study design of a set of medical groups that formed an alliance in order to pursue a new health care payment program. Data were collected from 2012-18 including documents, phone interviews, and site visits (totaling 8 visits, 80 interviews, 23 meeting observations). Approximately 50% of data were double coded; a single coder coded the remainder. We iteratively analyzed data for emergent themes. The alliance achieved stability in the face of these problems through a process of dynamic reinforcement, whereby formal alliance structures (e.g. committees) and informal organization (e.g. multidimensional bonding and bridging ties) reinforced one another, as formal meetings gave way to a dense web of multidimensional bonding and bridging relationships across member organizations; these relationships then encouraged both continued engagement with the alliance as well as enabled sharing vulnerabilities, engaging in collective problem solving, and negotiation of tension and conflict. Our work uncovers mechanisms through which alliances develop and reinforce a robust informal organization, and complicates views of alliances from dyads of organizations to a web of multidimensional relationships between staff across members.URL
https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2021.250Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2021Journal Title
Academy of Management JournalAuthor(s)
Murray, Genevra F.Lewis, Valerie A.
D'Aunno, Thomas