| Summary: | This thesis documents an investigation into the nature of the influence exercised by participants in inter-organisational collaboration. The outcome of the research is a four dimensional framework which is intended as a conceptual device to aid practitioners in developing their understanding of this focal phenomenon. The framework identifies four important dimensions of influence: Influence Processes that Build Credibility, Relationships and Reciprocity in Collaborations; Resources for Building Influence in Collaborations; Bases of Influence - a tension appears to exist between influence attempts that are either characterised by rational behaviour or by emotive behaviour; Contextual Features of Collaboration - characteristics such as interdependence and asymmetrical relationships and perceptions of power that typically act as drivers that give rise to influencing behaviours among participants. The framework is distinctive in nature because of its potential to aid practitioners in a practical way to explore the nature of influence enacted by participants specifically within a collaborative context. It is also intended to provide a structured approach to navigating the complex field of relevant extant literature. The main dimensions of the framework could be presented as handles for reflective practice (Huxham and Vangen, 2005) and used to stimulate dialogue as to: how influence processes could be enacted; the types of resources that may enable the enactment of influence; the underlying tension between rational and emotive behaviour and the contextual features that may stimulate influencing behaviour. In this sense the framework could be used both as a diagnostic tool and a developmental tool. In this context the theoretical insights offered in the form of the conceptual framework central to this research may be considered as an extension of the theory of collaborative advantage (Huxham and Vangen, 2005).
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