Inter-organizational relationships: toward a reconceptualization of constructs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a reconceptualization of existing constructs within the inter-organizational relationship (IOR) domain to face two main issues: the proliferation of constructs emerged because of a fast-growing body of literature, and the interchangeable and ambiguous use of constructs. Design/methodology/approach First, the authors surveyed the literature regarding IORs using a structured process supported by the use of bibliometric technique, and then the authors organized an expert panel process that contributes to refine the reconceptualization of the constructs. Findings The results of the analyses allow a further confirmation of the inconsistency in the definition of IOR constructs and provide a clear reconceptualization of the inter-organizational network and alliance constructs, recognized as the most relevant in this domain. Originality/value Being the first attempt to deal with the issue of construct reconceptualization in the IOR domain practically, and considering that clear construct definitions serve as a necessary basis for theory building, this paper has relevant implications for the development of theory related to the different types of IORs.