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In this paper we use game theory to build a simplified model from the empirical situation in the management consulting industry. We simulate the actions and consequences of hiring and firing personnel in two firms in this industry to seek to find out what produces virtual coopetition. By examining poaching strategies in this industry we argue that virtual coopetition results when the initiating party is unsure about the long-term value of a predatory move for itself, and therefore refuses to carry out such move. Hence, we show that the consequences of poaching strategy, when considered with the risk of being a target, are quite disastrous. The principal reason is that the long term consequences are such that it is difficult to recover from the damage inflicted. The ecological (and to some extent evolutionary) consequences of poaching explain why this phenomenon is rarely seen in the management consulting industry: it is simply mutual value destruction. In conclusion we show that the avoidance of mutual value destruction is a virtual form of coopetition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how the structure of ownership affects the evolution of hydro based electricity in Latin America. Different scenarios of ownership have been analyzed to assess different types of firms in relation to the sustainability and evolution of a hydro based system. Various factors explain the reason why both private and public firms do not invest in hydro based electricity. The article states that the results of the investigation suggest that systems in which firms coexist will deliver, in the long term, a more reliable electricity service incentive to promote investment if capacity additions are in place.

Despite many definitions and mechanisms of organizational resilience, arising from different cognitive perspectives, none are based on resilience's ultimate foundations; they confuse managers seeking to strengthen resilience. We 'convert' theory-based mechanisms into dynamic processes that integrate different perspectives into a System Dynamics-model. Simulation of the model shows the consequences of managerial actions and individual behavior - how different feedback processes, interacting in a hierarchical manner, facilitate and sustain resilience. The theoretical section shows that resilience may be initially sustained on the basis of more tangible resources; as they become inadequate then it can be based on resources of a less tangible nature (e.g. psychological resources). However, the ultimate savior is a commitment to spiritual identity - i.e. it underlies the hierarchy of increasingly intangible and subtler bases needed to re-generating resilience. The simulations explore the interdependency between the commitment to spiritual values and other psychological states; they show the consequences of not maintaining desirable psychological states and whether an adherence to spiritual standards can always deliver the organization to what is desired. Relevant managerial implications are pointed out in the concluding section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exist a variety of definitions of organizational resilience, arising from different cognitive perspectives. This results in incomplete recommendations for managers seeking to strengthen resilience as they are not based on resilience's ultimate foundations. We 'convert' theory-based mechanisms into dynamic processes that will integrate different perspectives into a model that predicts the consequences of managerial actions and show how different levels of feedback processes, interacting in a hierarchical manner, facilitate and sustain resilience. The mechanisms in extant perspectives and definitions are re-conceptualized as dynamic processes based on cause- and-effect, using a continuous-time perspective; subsequently these processes are integrated to form a new dynamic model for sustaining resilience. Initially, resilience may be sustained on the basis of tangible resources; if they become inadequate then it can be based on psychological support; if that becomes inadequate then it can be renewed based on a commitment to spiritual identity - viz. there exists a hierarchy of increasingly intangible and subtler bases that is capable of re-generating resilience. In order to re- generate or sustain resilience using subtler bases, managers have to use the subtler bases over the long-term to build relationships with important stakeholders; a consequence is that managers may find decreasing scope of freedom to manipulate resources with greater degrees of tangibility or manipulate short-term objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant research on offshore outsourcing has largely studied non-core, fairly routinized tasks, such as IT services and BPO. However, companies have recently begun outsourcing higher-end work entailing greater complexity in environments of uncertainty. Such work is essentially new product development based on the reconfiguration of knowledge. We hence investigate to what extent the offshore outsourcing approach can effectively transfer to such projects, by developing a simulation model based on field research of a sample of global software development projects conducted by a leading Indian outsourcing vendor with its customers. We contrast the global delivery model with a so-called consulting model and find that each approach is more effective at handling different types of task conditions, given the characteristics of its respective team structure and capability composition. The results bear implications for traditional notions of firm boundaries and organizational forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizing for innovation is an important determinant of competitive success, and firms are increasingly turning to external sources as an alternative to internal means, including of late offshore outsourcing. Extant research on offshore outsourcing has largely studied non-core, fairly routinized tasks, such as IT services and BPO. However, companies have recently begun outsourcing higher-end work entailing greater complexity and uncertainty, including knowledge-based services like new product development. We hence investigate to what extent the offshore outsourcing approach can effectively transfer to such projects, by developing a simulation model based on field research of a sample of global software development projects conducted by a leading Indian outsourcing vendor with its customers. We contrast the more virtual global delivery model with a more traditional so-called consulting model and find that an offshore outsourcing approach based on distinct strategic complementarities can handle sophisticated higher-end work, by adopting a suitable team structure and capability composition. The results bear implications for traditional notions of firm boundaries and organizational forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]