Interorganizational collaboration and global challenges: research and theory development

Purpose As planetary crises continue to pose serious risks for humanity and the Earth, interorganizational collaboration is increasingly recognized as essential. However, the complexities inherent in interorganizational collaboration to address global challenges are frequently underestimated or misunderstood. To that end, this paper aims to explore what might be done to deepen the collective understanding of research and theory development that may ultimately enhance research and subsequent theory development to better inform practice. The objective is to contribute to scholarly discourse within and across scientific communities, fostering a more optimistic outlook on the potential impact of collective research endeavors. Design/methodology/approach The essay forms part of a longstanding research agenda into governing, leading and managing interorganizational collaboration aimed at addressing major societal challenges including, more recently, a focus on collaboration and conservation. The approach for this essay includes extensive cross disciplinary reading and careful synthesizes of literature on interdisciplinary and interorganizational collaboration from both natural and management sciences, spanning six decades. Secondary sources include reports from the European Commission, United Nations and the World Economic Forum. Key search criteria included interorganizational collaboration, global challenges and environmental sustainability. Findings The essay identifies pivotal issues that impact the relevance of research and theory on interorganizational collaboration for global challenges. It develops four suggestions aimed at enhancing research and theory development, thereby providing more robust foundations to inform practice. Social implications The ultimate research aim is the well-being of the Earth. Originality/value The essay provides an original perspective on interorganizational collaboration for global challenges along with four suggestions that may help increase the relevance of future research and theory development.