Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti

Categories and types of
boundary activities
Description of the activity in the case Examples of quotes Frequency
(total:
140 quotes)
% of
activities
Category III: Crossing the boundary outwards 58 42%
Informing Informing was the most common type of boundary activity
in Center. Key program actors had discussed the program
with various experts in the organization, and the program
had been on the agenda in Center’s management group
meetings, where top managers were informed about the
program’s existence and goals. The program manager had
also given presentations about the program in Center’s
personnel meetings.
Subsidiary manager and coordination group member: “Last spring
we had two of these strategy meetings or seminars for the whole
personnel. [The program manager] participated in one of these
two, and there were quite good discussions.”
50 36%
Legitimating and committing Just a few legitimating and committing activities were
found. Some mentioned the program management
workshops organized by the university research team as a
way to legitimate the program management approach. The
unit manager meetings where the program had been
discussed were also mentioned not only as a way to gain
insight from unit managers but also as a means to commit
the unit managers to the program.
Unit manager actively involved in the program: “The discussion in
the meeting was quite versatile: some saw very ambitious goals
and some wondered whether the objective is to come up with a
publication. But it was good that we had those discussions, and we
also gained some commitment from the unit managers who are
involved in this.”
6 4%
Influencing Only two identified activities related to influencing. As a
rare example, an expert involved in initiation explained
how the program work also contributed to her other work
tasks.
Peripheral program participant: “Since one gets all kinds of
invitations, one has to seriously consider whether to participate or
not, but if it benefits me in my [line] tasks, and if it relates to my
[area of expertise], then I always try to participate as much as
possible. There is often something to gain and if you also can
contribute, then there is mutual [benefit].”
2 1%
Category IV: Blocking the boundary 6 4%
Guarding Just a few guarding activities were found, related to how
some people, central experts, had not been included in the
early program work, and how one of Center’s units was
practically scoped out of the program.
Subsidiary manager and steering group member: “A representative
of our unit has not been invited to these meetings, even though this
person is probably one of the leading experts [in this area] in
Finland.”
6 4%
Enclosing No intentional enclosing activities were found in Center. N/A 0 0%