ICT-focused water innovation projects fully recognise the importance of genuine
engagement of non-implementing partners. Only then can they learn from (and with)
them about the nature of the problems faced in water management in particular
contexts (or countries) and thus provide appropriate solutions to those problems.
Fourth, the results of this study suggest that effective ICT-WIPs rely on the
calibre of partnering organisations, i.e. their capability to contribute what they
promised (in expected quantities and qualities). This implies that partner selection
is a critical stage in the partnership formation process; it should be carefully
conducted in order to determine and choose partners who can really add value to
the partnership. With regard to partner selection criteria, Geringer [91] proposes two
categories: task-related and partner-related criteria. The former concerns typical and
distinct resources that a prospective partner would bring to the partnership – to
bridge the resource gaps of other partners – given the requirements of the innovation
project. The latter category refers to criteria pertaining to the ability of potential
partners to efficiently and effectively work together in a partnership. They include
prior experience of the partners with partnerships, trust in each other’s capability to
deliver, market familiarity and so on. One could also include strategic criteria such as
the partners’ convergent expectations for starting the innovation project, the possibility for diversification and future business and the likelihood to share investments
costs [91–93].
Finally, this study showed the instrumental role of VIA Water in facilitating the
creation of many of the ICT-WIPs analysed. A practical implication from this
finding is that innovating organisations who intend to team up with others should
make use of innovation brokers or like-minded entities. Innovation brokers help to
identify reliable partners and to fully understand local risks and how to mitigate
them, among other things. They can also help understand and interpret local culture.
Another key implication linked to the issue of “culture interpretation” is that
organisations who want to partner with others for innovation purposes should
acknowledge that some partnership governance mechanisms might be more relevant
and effective in specific cultural contexts than in others. For example, trust-based
mechanisms cannot be relied upon to the same extent across all cultural settings.
Thus, in order to effectively manage partnerships, innovating organisations must
fully consider the societal norms and value systems of the countries where they
select partners.
7.3 Recommendations
7.3.1 Recommendations for Future Research
This study focused on ICT-WIPs that are still in early stages of implementation.
Subsequent research should investigate the performance of these partnerships at later
stages of the innovation process, notably during the scale-up stage. Future research
should also go beyond the sample limitation of our research, i.e. the fact that we
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201
engagement of non-implementing partners. Only then can they learn from (and with)
them about the nature of the problems faced in water management in particular
contexts (or countries) and thus provide appropriate solutions to those problems.
Fourth, the results of this study suggest that effective ICT-WIPs rely on the
calibre of partnering organisations, i.e. their capability to contribute what they
promised (in expected quantities and qualities). This implies that partner selection
is a critical stage in the partnership formation process; it should be carefully
conducted in order to determine and choose partners who can really add value to
the partnership. With regard to partner selection criteria, Geringer [91] proposes two
categories: task-related and partner-related criteria. The former concerns typical and
distinct resources that a prospective partner would bring to the partnership – to
bridge the resource gaps of other partners – given the requirements of the innovation
project. The latter category refers to criteria pertaining to the ability of potential
partners to efficiently and effectively work together in a partnership. They include
prior experience of the partners with partnerships, trust in each other’s capability to
deliver, market familiarity and so on. One could also include strategic criteria such as
the partners’ convergent expectations for starting the innovation project, the possibility for diversification and future business and the likelihood to share investments
costs [91–93].
Finally, this study showed the instrumental role of VIA Water in facilitating the
creation of many of the ICT-WIPs analysed. A practical implication from this
finding is that innovating organisations who intend to team up with others should
make use of innovation brokers or like-minded entities. Innovation brokers help to
identify reliable partners and to fully understand local risks and how to mitigate
them, among other things. They can also help understand and interpret local culture.
Another key implication linked to the issue of “culture interpretation” is that
organisations who want to partner with others for innovation purposes should
acknowledge that some partnership governance mechanisms might be more relevant
and effective in specific cultural contexts than in others. For example, trust-based
mechanisms cannot be relied upon to the same extent across all cultural settings.
Thus, in order to effectively manage partnerships, innovating organisations must
fully consider the societal norms and value systems of the countries where they
select partners.
7.3 Recommendations
7.3.1 Recommendations for Future Research
This study focused on ICT-WIPs that are still in early stages of implementation.
Subsequent research should investigate the performance of these partnerships at later
stages of the innovation process, notably during the scale-up stage. Future research
should also go beyond the sample limitation of our research, i.e. the fact that we
Promoting Smart Water Systems in Developing Countries Through. . .
201