Examining Alliance Management Capabilities in Cross-sector Collaborative Partnerships

While there is a significant amount of research on cross-sector collaboration, we still lack an adequate

understanding of the nature and dynamics of Alliance Management Capabilities (AMC) that

organizations demand when stretching their inter-organizational relationships beyond the boundaries of

their sector. We address this gap by investigating the role of AMC in establishing and maintaining cross-sector

collaborations, focusing on the perspective of nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Using qualitative

data obtained from a diverse group of NPOs that are actively in collaboration with the business sector,

we identified a unique set of AMC that are deployed at the pre- and post-formation stages of

collaboration, and concomitantly at both stages (or cross-cutting AMC). Moreover, we provide an

integrative framework that explains how these capabilities are leveraged and developed within the

context of cross-sector collaboration which takes a circular path that comprises strategic actions and

learning routines. We draw implications for theory and practice.