Improving the Quality of Interorganizational Processes

Processes in most need of improvement are often those that cross organizational boundaries. The inevitable conflicts at those boundaries must be effectively managed to make major improvements in quality. This paper describes an active intervention process that has improved the management of these conflicts in many different circumstances. Data collected in one of these applications is used to prove the effectiveness of the process. Management actions critical to success include management commitment and participation, obtaining conflict management expertise, allowing time to change behavior, and involving key people at all levels.