lead innovators generally decided to partner with organisations who they thought
would bring resources that complement their own. We discuss below the immaterial
and material resources exchanged in the examined partnerships as well as the
mechanisms used.
5.2.1 Exchange of Immaterial Resources
The immaterial resources mostly exchanged in the ICT-WIPs analysed in this study
appear to be knowledge. In the first place, those who contribute knowledge resources
are the implementing partners. For example, many of the working partners have
joined the partnerships either as suppliers of ICT knowledge (embedded in specific
technologies) or as providers of expert knowledge that is not possessed by the lead
innovator. To illustrate, in the Flash flood forecasting application project in Ghana,
Royal HaskoningDHV – the Dutch lead innovator – provided meteorological and
hydrological experts to develop the application (including staff from its local Ghana
office). Whereas Infoplaza – one of the working partners – provided meteorological
data (rainfall data) for the validation of the system and set up an App service
(i.e. sms/smartphone) that integrates meteorological and hydrological forecasts and
provides effective warnings to the local people. Nelen and Schuurmans – another
working partner – brought to the partnership the expertise to setup the 3Di hydrological model that is able to predict flash floods based upon the input of rainfall
forecasts. In the Water quality monitoring with a DNA-based field device project in
Mozambique, Orvion B.V – the lead innovator – brings to the partnership the
expertise to characterise and quantify micro-organisms in water using innovative
DNA-techniques, while WE Consult – the working partner – contributes its expertise
in water quality measuring and sampling and knowledge of the local context.
Different mechanisms are used by implementing partners to exchange knowledge. These mechanisms include the creation of structures such as joint project
implementation teams through which regular meetings (e.g. weekly teleconference
meetings, kick off meetings) are organised, serving as channels for sharing both tacit
and explicit knowledge. Online collaborative systems are also used through which
participants from partnering organisations share information relevant to the innovation they are developing and or promoting. Through these structural arrangements,
participants further continuously cocreate knowledge and use it during joint partnership activities. Most of this co-creation takes place through combination of the
participants’ respective personal/tacit knowledge [74]. As we explain in the next
section, the level of knowledge exchange is dependent on the extent to which
members of these teams relate to and trust each other. Task division among
partnering organisations is another important mechanism to exchange knowledge
resources in the partnerships. This is particularly the case when some partners are
best qualified (and or specialised) in producing some components of a particular
innovation and where cooperation through joint team activities would make little
sense. As argued by Batterink [75], task division improves the performance of
innovation partnerships, by allowing a more efficient use of the resources possessed
by partners.
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
189
would bring resources that complement their own. We discuss below the immaterial
and material resources exchanged in the examined partnerships as well as the
mechanisms used.
5.2.1 Exchange of Immaterial Resources
The immaterial resources mostly exchanged in the ICT-WIPs analysed in this study
appear to be knowledge. In the first place, those who contribute knowledge resources
are the implementing partners. For example, many of the working partners have
joined the partnerships either as suppliers of ICT knowledge (embedded in specific
technologies) or as providers of expert knowledge that is not possessed by the lead
innovator. To illustrate, in the Flash flood forecasting application project in Ghana,
Royal HaskoningDHV – the Dutch lead innovator – provided meteorological and
hydrological experts to develop the application (including staff from its local Ghana
office). Whereas Infoplaza – one of the working partners – provided meteorological
data (rainfall data) for the validation of the system and set up an App service
(i.e. sms/smartphone) that integrates meteorological and hydrological forecasts and
provides effective warnings to the local people. Nelen and Schuurmans – another
working partner – brought to the partnership the expertise to setup the 3Di hydrological model that is able to predict flash floods based upon the input of rainfall
forecasts. In the Water quality monitoring with a DNA-based field device project in
Mozambique, Orvion B.V – the lead innovator – brings to the partnership the
expertise to characterise and quantify micro-organisms in water using innovative
DNA-techniques, while WE Consult – the working partner – contributes its expertise
in water quality measuring and sampling and knowledge of the local context.
Different mechanisms are used by implementing partners to exchange knowledge. These mechanisms include the creation of structures such as joint project
implementation teams through which regular meetings (e.g. weekly teleconference
meetings, kick off meetings) are organised, serving as channels for sharing both tacit
and explicit knowledge. Online collaborative systems are also used through which
participants from partnering organisations share information relevant to the innovation they are developing and or promoting. Through these structural arrangements,
participants further continuously cocreate knowledge and use it during joint partnership activities. Most of this co-creation takes place through combination of the
participants’ respective personal/tacit knowledge [74]. As we explain in the next
section, the level of knowledge exchange is dependent on the extent to which
members of these teams relate to and trust each other. Task division among
partnering organisations is another important mechanism to exchange knowledge
resources in the partnerships. This is particularly the case when some partners are
best qualified (and or specialised) in producing some components of a particular
innovation and where cooperation through joint team activities would make little
sense. As argued by Batterink [75], task division improves the performance of
innovation partnerships, by allowing a more efficient use of the resources possessed
by partners.
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
189