Linking network facilitation activities to expertise development: insights in the professional service context (Esitys Nordic Workshop on Interorganizational Research, Uppsala 24.-26.4. 2019)

The purpose of this study is to explore and discuss network facilitation and build a link between facilitation activities and expertise development. In this study, we look at networks not only as a platform co-creating new services for management coaching but also the role of networks in enabling expertise development. We have conducted a process case study focusing on a interorganizational network in a professional service context. In the literature on networks management, there is an extensive discussion about management of networks and even discussion about to which extent networks can be managed. Network management has been looked at from the capabilities and competences perspective. In our study, we provide a more fine-grained analysis of a network facilitation in the context of management coaching. We have identified and discussed network facilitation activities: engaging in co-development, encouraging in relationship building, and enabling co-creative knowledge creation. Secondly, we have linked the network facilitation capabilities to expertise development. In our study, we build on the idea that expertise develops by developing and using capabilities for network facilitation. Thus, we show how network facilitation can provide possibilities for expertise development with the focus on professional service context.