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PurposeThe purpose of this editorial is to provide an overview of content and process of development of the five papers collected in this special issue on collaboration and storying.Design/methodology/approachThis guest editorial discusses the five papers in terms of their contribution both to debates on the utility of stories as data and forms of knowledge as well as to developing understandings of the research and practice of collaboration. Findings – The special issue integrates aspects of research, issues of research and connects with implications for practice.Originality/valueReaders are provided with an overview of the utility of stories as data, different levels of conceptualization of stories and the kinds of insights that can flow from this form of research.

AbstractGovernance structures such as the American system of federalism create the incentive structure and framework for collaboration between local governments. This interlocal collaboration is crucial to helping governments deal with contemporary issues such as energy efficiency and climate policy where collective action can solve problems more successfully. The goal of this study is to examine how external rules such as federal grant regulations and the current scope of interlocal collaboration affect the choice of interlocal collaboration over time. We do this in the context of energy efficiency and climate policy using the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

In the last two decades, local governments have increasingly engaged in energy conservation and sustainability programs and policy. However, the benefits of these policies (i.e., cleaner air, less congestion, etc.) are often perceived as dispersed and costly. As such, localities consider collaborating with one another. However, decisions to collaborate pose considerable risks that can be magnified or mitigated by the mechanisms through which collaboration occurs. We investigate decisions to engage in formal and informal collaboration in the area of energy efficiency and conservation as a response to collaboration risks.

PurposeThis paper proposes an instrument to measure the extent of collaboration in a supply chain consisting of two members, suppliers and retailers.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model for collaboration incorporates collaborative practices in information sharing, decision synchronisation and incentive alignment. A collaboration index is introduced to measure the level of collaborative practices. A survey of companies in New Zealand was conducted to obtain data to test and evaluate the collaboration index.FindingsThe survey results confirmed the reliability and validity of the proposed collaboration index measure for measuring collaboration. The findings also showed that the collaboration index was positively associated with operational performance.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could consider larger sample sizes and cover other industry types.Practical implicationsSupply chain participants will be able to measure the extent of their collaboration and seek improvement in their performance.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by introducing a new index for measuring the extent of supply chain collaboration. This measure can be used by any participant (member) in a supply chain to identify the level of collaboration and seek improvement.