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Temporary, Emergent Interorganizational Collaboration in Unexpected Circumstances: A Study of the Columbia Space Shuttle Response Effort

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  • Tammy E. Beck

    (Department of Management, Belk College of Business, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223)

  • Donde Ashmos Plowman

    (Department of Management, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588)

Abstract

In an inductive case study of the Columbia space shuttle disaster response effort, we use observations, archival records, and in-depth interviews with representatives from several responding agencies to explore factors that facilitated this interorganizational collaboration. The Columbia response effort defies conventional theories of collaboration. Relative strangers from dissimilar agencies, without a designated leader or existing structure, quickly collaborated across organizational boundaries on an unprecedented and complex undertaking. We explain how four organizing actions enabled self-organizing and the two-staged development of trust and identity, ultimately leading to a successful unplanned collaboration. We rely on tenets of complexity theory to orient our case study and to propose a grounded theory of temporary, emergent interorganizational collaboration.

Suggested Citation

  • Tammy E. Beck & Donde Ashmos Plowman, 2014. "Temporary, Emergent Interorganizational Collaboration in Unexpected Circumstances: A Study of the Columbia Space Shuttle Response Effort," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 1234-1252, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:25:y:2014:i:4:p:1234-1252
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2013.0888
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