Abstract:

The aim of the paper is to initiate the research on multi-level contextualizing interorganizational relationships and thereafter identifying their micro-foundational groups. The aim has been realized by answering the following research questions: RQ1. Which are the ways of multi-level contextualizing inter-organizational relationships within the concept of organizational embeddedness? RQ2. What might be the role of micro foundational programme in exploring inter-organizational relationships? The method that has been used is critical literature review in the scope of inter-organizational relationships, organizational embeddedness, contextualisation, and micro-foundations in management science. The overarching finding concerns our proposal of multi-level contextualization of inter-organizational relationships within multi-level organizational embeddedness, namely: macro level contextualization (environment –organization relations and conditions constituting external embeddedness), medium level contextualization (organization-level embeddedness: strategic, structural, and cultural altogether with strategic alignment), and micro level one (individual and team behavioural-cognitive-social perspectives). Specifically, we proposed to perceive the latter two levels as potential micro-foundational groups. As a result, we suggested considering the micro-foundational analysis in researching inter-organizational relationships’ antecedents.