The Management of Formalisation Processes in R&D Collaboration

This paper deals with the process leading to a formalised co-operation. A comparative case study of Research and Development (R&D) collaborations illustrates how, during the process of formalising, the creation of shared understanding of the co-operation is supported or hindered. When participants are involved in setting goals, writing work plans, and creating the rules for the co-operation, each participant will have a better understanding of their relationship with others, their own role and responsibility and those of the others. We identify five possible factors that encourage/discourage the partners to use/from using the process of formalising for the purpose of sensemaking.