Role of Resource Asymmetry and Collaboration Time in the Governance of Cross-border Collaborative Networks

This study aimed to analyze the micro-governance of a cross-border Brazil–Uruguay collaborative network and how it contributes to a favorable environment for collaboration. To achieve this objective, a single case study was conducted with a qualitative approach using document analysis and interviews with 19 Brazilian and Uruguayan stakeholders from the public, private, and civil society sectors. The results show that two contextual factors, resource asymmetry among participants and collaboration time, explain the need for greater emphasis on the use of certain governance functions while, at the same time, making other functions less necessary. The behaviors become more predictable and stable with the collaboration time, requiring less emphasis on alignment, monitoring, and conflict arbitration in collaborative networks. However, resource asymmetry requires efforts to integrate, mobilize, and organize the participants and their resources. We contribute to the theory by showing how contextual factors affect the use of micro-governance functions in a cross-border collaborative network and how the governance fosters an environment that stimulates collaboration. Practitioners can also benefit from our study, as it facilitates a deeper comprehension of how collaborative networks can be governed to produce collective results in cross-border contexts.