Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book makes theoretical and empirical contributions to the literature on inter-organizational collaboration, extending the traditional theoretical framework to include nontraditional literature streams and theories and connecting theory to practice. An expansion of the traditional collaboration framework that includes an "impact" component results in the creation of a "preconditions", "processes", "outcomes", and "impact" frame for collaboration. The collaboration literature is characterized by theoretical pluralism and case study research. The book proposes how successful collaboration performance research can contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies for creating practitioner tools. It provides examples and resulting implications both as evidence and to guide practitioners. The book diagrams the connection of lived experiences of practitioners in the qualitative research to theory tested in the quantitative study for the creation of an evidence-based design plan for successful inter-organizational collaboration.