Partnering Paradoxes: a case of constructing inter-organisational collaborations in infrastructure projects

The positive nature of partnering to resolve adversarial relationships in the construction industry has been well-rehearsed. However, critics argued that espoused benefi ts of partnering have not materialised because business-as-usual prevails. Furthermore, scholars have insisted that more needs to be done to analyse emerging practices in inter-organisational collaborations. This study examines an emerging collaboration. Basically, the research sought to investigate effective knowledge sharing during the early stages of a real-life collaborative venture between three infrastructure companies. The case study was informed by participant observations and interviews with key people involved in forming the collaborative venture. Findings reveal a number of paradoxes that are perplexing on the one hand, yet generative in terms of actions on the other. These paradoxes relate to the three areas of sensemaking, formality and time synchronicity.