Coordinating Through the Development of a Shared Object: An Approach to Study Interorganizational Innovation

To advance theory on interorganizational product innovation, we propose an analytical model based on activity theory. Our model directs attention to the emergent micro-processes of interorganizational coordination. The main premise of our model is that contradictions between an organization's different activity systems create disturbances, which require practitioners to (partly) align work practices and (partly) integrate their different perceptions of the design object. These integration efforts may lead to work practice innovation and an expanded view of the object of product innovation. The contribution of our model lies in its practice perspective and its focus on the development of the object of innovation.