Collaborative Networks for Sustainability (CONESU)

n the mid-term report, we highlighted deliverables from
the project.
Watch the project overview video we created for the event.
Since the mid-term report, we have conducted two pilots
of the Collaborative Value Monitor (CVM) tool with IDH,
the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH). The first involved
the Landscapes division that focuses on regions such as
restoring a dry lake area by understanding ecological as
well as economic impacts. From this pilot, we adapted the
tool to specific landscapes in Cote d’Ivoire, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Ethiopia, administered the survey and
analysed the data from the tool about the relationship
between orchestration and value creation and capture.
The second pilot with IDH took place from December 2023
to June 2024 with orchestrators of initiatives in the spices
value chain. We are still analysing the data from this pilot.
In addition to the pilots with IDH, we have progressed on
educational and academic papers. In December 2023, we
published a teaching case about one of the CONESU
cases. This teaching case, on adapting circular business
models, has been used with students at AUAS (IB
programme) and has been used by institutions in Canada,
UK, USA, Estonia, India, Germany, Austria, Ireland and
Thailand. We will be publishing another teaching case on
orchestrating roundtable meetings with diverse
stakeholders as we have already tested it twice and will
publish the teaching case by the end of 2024. Both
teaching cases are accessible free of charge.
Lastly, we have progressed five academic papers. One
paper is in its third revision at Organization &
Environment, one is in a 2nd revision at Academy of
Management Learning and Education, one is recently
submitted to Journal of Management Studies and the
other two papers will be submitted by the end of 2024.

Collaborative networks for sustainability are emerging rapidly to address urgent societal challenges. By bringing together organizations with different knowledge bases, resources and capabilities, collaborative networks enhance information exchange, knowledge sharing and learning opportunities to address these complex problems that cannot be solved by organizations individually. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the apparel sector, where examples of collaborative networks for sustainability are plenty, for example Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Zero Discharge Hazardous Chemicals, and the Fair Wear Foundation. Companies like C&A and H&M but also smaller players join these networks to take their social responsibility.

Collaborative networks are unlike traditional forms of organizations; they are loosely structured collectives of different, often competing organizations, with dynamic membership and usually lack legal status. However, they do not emerge or organize on their own; they need network orchestrators who manage the network in terms of activities and participants. But network orchestrators face many challenges. They have to balance the interests of diverse companies and deal with tensions that often arise between them, like sharing their innovative knowledge. Orchestrators also have to “sell” the value of the network to potential new participants, who make decisions about which networks to join based on the benefits they expect to get from participating. Network orchestrators often do not know the best way to maintain engagement, commitment and enthusiasm or how to ensure knowledge and resource sharing, especially when competitors are involved.

Furthermore, collaborative networks receive funding from grants or subsidies, creating financial uncertainty about its continuity. Raising financing from the private sector is difficult and network orchestrators compete more and more for resources. When networks dissolve or dysfunction (due to a lack of value creation and capture for participants, a lack of financing or a non-functioning business model), the collective value that has been created and accrued over time may be lost. This is problematic given that industrial transformations towards sustainability take many years and durable organizational forms are required to ensure ongoing support for this change.

Network orchestration is a new profession. There are no guidelines, handbooks or good practices for how to perform this role, nor is there professional education or a professional association that represents network orchestrators. This is urgently needed as network orchestrators struggle with their role in governing networks so that they create and capture value for participants and ultimately ensure better network performance and survival.

This project aims to foster the professionalization of the network orchestrator role by:

(a) generating knowledge, developing and testing collaborative network governance models, facilitation tools and collaborative business modeling tools to enable network orchestrators to improve the performance of collaborative networks in terms of collective value creation (network level) and private value capture (network participant level)

(b) organizing platform activities for network orchestrators to exchange ideas, best practices and learn from each other, thereby facilitating the formation of a professional identity, standards and community of network orchestrators.