IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2019i1p269-d303014.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Antecedents of Relationship Learning in Business-Non-Profit Organization Collaboration Agreements

Author

Listed:
  • María Jesús Barroso-Méndez

    (Department of Business Management and Sociology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain)

  • Clementina Galera-Casquet

    (Department of Business Management and Sociology, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain)

  • Víctor Valero-Amaro

    (Department of Business Management and Sociology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain)

  • María Teresa Nevado-Gil

    (Department of Financial Economics and Accounting, Faculty of Business, Finance and Tourism, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain)

Abstract

The literature has highlighted that relationship learning constitutes a value creation pathway in business and non-profit collaborations. However, this process has not been studied in detail. The main objective of this study was to carry out an in-depth analysis of relationship learning by examining the main factors that favor its development. For this, a research model was developed based on the relevant literature in the field of Relationship Marketing and Inter-Organizational Learning. The hypotheses were tested with data collected from 102 Spanish firms in collaboration relationships with non-profit organizations. The results reveal the importance of four relational variables in the direct and indirect explanation of relationship learning—values shared by the partners, trust, commitment, and cooperation. First, shared values form a key antecedent of trust and commitment, these in turn are fundamental precursors of the partners’ cooperation, and commitment and cooperation showed themselves to be the main determinants of relationship learning between firms and non-profit organizations. The proposed model could enrich the relevant literature and provide better understanding of the relational aspects that businesses and non-profit organizations should work on if they wish to improve their level of relationship learning.

Suggested Citation

  • María Jesús Barroso-Méndez & Clementina Galera-Casquet & Víctor Valero-Amaro & María Teresa Nevado-Gil, 2019. "Antecedents of Relationship Learning in Business-Non-Profit Organization Collaboration Agreements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2019:i:1:p:269-:d:303014
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/1/269/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/1/269/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amelia Clarke & Mark Fuller, 2010. "Collaborative Strategic Management: Strategy Formulation and Implementation by Multi-Organizational Cross-Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 85-101, July.
    2. Lukas, Bryan A. & Hult, G. Tomas M. & Ferrell, O. C., 1996. "A Theoretical Perspective of the Antecedents and Consequences of Organizational Learning in Marketing Channels," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 233-244, July.
    3. Barroso-Méndez, María Jesús & Galera-Casquet, Clementina & Seitanidi, Maria May & Valero-Amaro, Víctor, 2016. "Cross-sector social partnership success: A process perspective on the role of relational factors," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 674-685.
    4. Dima Jamali & Tamar Keshishian, 2009. "Uneasy Alliances: Lessons Learned from Partnerships Between Businesses and NGOs in the context of CSR," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 277-295, January.
    5. Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Riefler, Petra & Roth, Katharina P., 2008. "Advancing formative measurement models," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(12), pages 1203-1218, December.
    6. Matthew Murphy & Daniel Arenas & Joan Batista, 2015. "Value Creation in Cross-Sector Collaborations: The Roles of Experience and Alignment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 145-162, August.
    7. Mellat-Parast, Mahour & Digman, Lester A., 2008. "Learning: The interface of quality management and strategic alliances," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(2), pages 820-829, August.
    8. Chong Ju Choi & Carla C. J. M. Millar & Caroline Y. L. Wong, 2005. "Knowledge and Exchange," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Knowledge Entanglements, chapter 0, pages 65-76, Palgrave Macmillan.
    9. Maria Seitanidi & Andrew Crane, 2009. "Implementing CSR Through Partnerships: Understanding the Selection, Design and Institutionalisation of Nonprofit-Business Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 413-429, April.
    10. Xinya Yan & Haiying Lin & Amelia Clarke, 2018. "Cross-Sector Social Partnerships for Social Change: The Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-17, February.
    11. María José Sanzo & Luis Ignacio Álvarez & Marta Rey, 2017. "Lights and Shadows of Business-Nonprofit Partnerships: The Role of Nonprofit Learning and Empowerment in this Ethical Puzzle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-21, August.
    12. Christiana Weber & Kathrin Weidner & Arne Kroeger & James Wallace, 2017. "Social Value Creation in Inter-Organizational Collaborations in the Not-for-Profit Sector – Give and Take from a Dyadic Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(6), pages 929-956, September.
    13. María Jesús Barroso-Méndez & Clementina Galera-Casquet & Víctor Valero-Amaro, 2016. "The importance of relationship learning in private-non-profit partnerships: precursors and outcomes," International Journal of Innovation and Learning, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 19(2), pages 169-187.
    14. Yang, Chin-Fang & Lai, Chi-Shiun, 2012. "Relationship learning from organizational knowledge stores," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 421-428.
    15. MacMillan, Keith & Money, Kevin & Money, Arthur & Downing, Steve, 2005. "Relationship marketing in the not-for-profit sector: an extension and application of the commitment-trust theory," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(6), pages 806-818, June.
    16. Maria May Seitanidi, 2010. "The Politics of Partnerships," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-90-481-8547-4, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tulin Dzhengiz, 2020. "A Literature Review of Inter-Organizational Sustainability Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-52, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barroso-Méndez, María Jesús & Galera-Casquet, Clementina & Seitanidi, Maria May & Valero-Amaro, Víctor, 2016. "Cross-sector social partnership success: A process perspective on the role of relational factors," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 674-685.
    2. Christiana Weber & Helen Haugh & Markus Göbel & Hannes Leonardy, 2022. "Pathways to Lasting Cross-Sector Social Collaboration: A Configurational Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 613-639, May.
    3. Adriane MacDonald & Amelia Clarke & Lei Huang & M. May Seitanidi, 2019. "Partner Strategic Capabilities for Capturing Value from Sustainability-Focused Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Daniel Arenas & Pablo Sanchez & Matthew Murphy, 2013. "Different Paths to Collaboration Between Businesses and Civil Society and the Role of Third Parties," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(4), pages 723-739, July.
    5. Rob Tulder & M. May Seitanidi & Andrew Crane & Stephen Brammer, 2016. "Enhancing the Impact of Cross-Sector Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Hazem S. Kassem & Mohammed Aljuaid & Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Rabab Ghozy, 2020. "Mapping and Analysis of Sustainability-Oriented Partnerships in Non-Profit Organizations: The Case of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-25, September.
    7. Christiana Weber & Kathrin Weidner & Arne Kroeger & James Wallace, 2017. "Social Value Creation in Inter-Organizational Collaborations in the Not-for-Profit Sector – Give and Take from a Dyadic Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(6), pages 929-956, September.
    8. Veronica Devenin & Constanza Bianchi, 2018. "Soccer fields? What for? Effectiveness of corporate social responsibility initiatives in the mining industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(5), pages 866-879, September.
    9. Devenin, Verónica, 2021. "Collaborative community development in mining regions: The Calama Plus and Creo Antofagasta programs in Chile," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    10. Mario La Torre & Annarita Trotta & Helen Chiappini & Alessandro Rizzello, 2019. "Business Models for Sustainable Finance: The Case Study of Social Impact Bonds," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, March.
    11. Maria Seitanidi & Adam Lindgreen, 2010. "Editorial: Cross-Sector Social Interactions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 1-7, July.
    12. Hazem S Kassem & Salim Bagadeem & Bader Alhafi Alotaibi & Mohammed Aljuaid, 2021. "Are partnerships in nonprofit organizations being governed for sustainability? A partnering life cycle assessment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-25, March.
    13. Juelin Yin & Dima Jamali, 2021. "Collide or Collaborate: The Interplay of Competing Logics and Institutional Work in Cross-Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 673-694, April.
    14. Sylvaine Poret, 2019. "Corporate–NGO Partnerships through Sustainability Labeling Schemes: Motives and Risks," Post-Print hal-02154666, HAL.
    15. Maria Seitanidi & Dimitrios Koufopoulos & Paul Palmer, 2010. "Partnership Formation for Change: Indicators for Transformative Potential in Cross Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 139-161, July.
    16. Salla Laasonen & Martin Fougère & Arno Kourula, 2012. "Dominant Articulations in Academic Business and Society Discourse on NGO–Business Relations: A Critical Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 521-545, September.
    17. Sylvaine Poret, 2019. "Corporate–NGO Partnerships through Sustainability Labeling Schemes: Motives and Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-19, May.
    18. Mihaela Păceşilă & Sofia Elena Colesca, 2020. "Insights on Social Responsibility of NGOS," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 311-339, June.
    19. Matthew Murphy & Daniel Arenas & Joan Batista, 2015. "Value Creation in Cross-Sector Collaborations: The Roles of Experience and Alignment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 145-162, August.
    20. Noemi Sinkovics & Jihye Kim & Rudolf R. Sinkovics, 2022. "Business-Civil Society Collaborations in South Korea: A Multi-Stage Pattern Matching Study," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 471-516, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2019:i:1:p:269-:d:303014. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.