It is important to understand and define key concepts on constructs significant for
understanding results. Following is a list of important definitions that will be referenced in the
Table 1 Definitions
Exploration Use of new strategies to discover
competitive advantage.
Exploitation Refinement of attained skill sets to maintain competitive advantage.
Learning A social process in which multiple actors
come to understand how to relate in new ways.
Dynamic Capability Dynamic Capability – “The ability to achieve new forms of competitive advantage.” (Teece, Pisano, and Shuen (1997).
Mutually Beneficial Outcome State of which companies synergize to attain positive and productive results.
The framework that will be used to structure arguments in this research comes out of the
work of Mathiassen et al (2012). This work organizes elements used in action research
according to the Problem (P), Area of Concern (A), Conceptual Framing (F), Method of
investigation (M), and contributions to practice and theory (C). According to Mathiassen et al
(2012) “the problem setting presents people’s concerns in a problematic situation, the area of
concern represents some body of knowledge within the literature, the conceptual framing helps
to structure actions and analyses, the adopted methods of investigation, and the contributions to
Table 2 Action Research Framework
Area of concern (A) Learning collaborative efforts between private/public
organizations
Real Problem (P) Understanding how THI collaborated with Daphne County as
they learn from each other
Framework (F) Explore Exploitation Theory
Methodology (M) Single Case Study
Research Question
(RQ)
How do organizations with divergent goals learn from each other in generating mutually beneficial outcomes?
Contribution (C) C (P) Provide description of specific areas where collaboration
inspired changed in business process for participants
C (A) Extends theoretical knowledge of interorganizational
learning and provides guidance for practice
The gap in knowledge addressed in this study exists in understanding the inter-
organizational learning processes. It is intended to specifically address the way learning happens
between Private and Government entities with collaborative partnerships.
This study is necessary because there is little organized studies with this focus and
intent. There appears to be much literature on production focused organizations as well as intra-
organizational learning, but precious little on private/public collaborative inter-organizational
II.4 Summary
This study combines two prominent elements: organizational learning and
exploration/exploitation theory. The literature on learning is vast. Much is written on the
different ways individuals learn and the learning process from birth to death. There is also much
explored with organizational learning. This topic is expectedly less explored than the general
topic of learning as it is more specific. Even less explored is the topic of interorganizational
learning. The literature becomes sparser when addressing organizational learning in terms of
service-related companies. Many of the studies I have found focus on product-based commerce.
Even sparser is the literature on interorganizational learning between private and public
companies. This niche is made even rarer by the absence of literature on interorganizational
learning in service-based companies of private and public functionalities.
Understanding the dynamics of exploration/exploitation theory is salient in the quest to
prove its interacting mechanisms. In more common business terms, exploration and exploitation
may be linked to research and development. The mechanisms that govern exploration
(experimentation/innovation) is paralleled with research and the mechanisms that govern
exploitation (refinement/implementation) are paralleled with development.
When combined in one study, the gap in knowledge becomes realized. This research
attempts to qualitatively fill this gap and extend knowledge in this area. Understanding
organizational learning between private and public organizations in collaborative relationships
literature. This study provides qualitative research using the interpretive paradigm to find out
III CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD
To reiterate from chapter one: the purpose of this study is to further knowledge in the
arena of interorganizational learning between private and government partnerships. This study is
also intended to assess a real-world illustration in the light of academic discipline effectively
connecting the study problem with subject of the emphasis. The problem being addressed
(showing how companies with divergent corporate purposes collaborate to attain mutually
beneficial results) is explored by describing the relationship of two organizations THI and DK
and contributes to the body of knowledge of interorganizational learning through a qualitative
examination of interviews of management staff of both entities. The concept of interest is
examined through an interpretive research paradigm using exploration and exploitation as
theoretical starting points.
There were six participants, besides the participant observer, in this study. Four of them
were from Daphne County Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs and two of them from Thor
Holdings, Int. (THI). The two participants from THI were representative of different companies
owned by THI. These companies are The Atlanta Taekwondo Center (ATC) and Thor Academy
of Fine Arts (TAFA). These participants contributed information primarily in the form of
interviews. This information focused on perception of corporate goals, organizational learning,
and mutually beneficial outcomes of the relationship. Evidence of exploration/exploitation
phenomena would be extrapolated based on evidence described in the interviews. Triangulatory
data was collected via websites and archival data supplied by both Daphne County Parks,
Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DK) and Thor Holdings International Inc. (THI). Interview data
overtime and as it was available. The interviews for DK participants were held in offices of each
DK director. The interviews for THI managers were held at the corporate location of this
organization.