Creating and maintaining momentum–relational work in public-private innovation partnerships

Abstract

This study addresses the scantly examined work done by individuals to develop reciprocal relationships and maintain momentum throughout public-private innovation partnerships. We combine insights from the public-private innovation partnership literature with the notion of relational work from economic-sociology to analyse cases of public procurement for innovation (PPI) and pre-commercial procurement (PCP). We identify patterns of relational work stimulating continued interaction across different phases of the PPI and PCP instruments. Contributing to the debate on creativity versus constraints in public-private innovation partnerships, we present relational work as reciprocal and intentional activities to influence the social-symbolic structures in which they are embedded.