Interlocking Directorates as a Tool for Management of Interorganizational Relations

The study discusses theoretical and empirical research on the aspects of management activities performed within a cooperative network of enterprises linked through boards of directors and supervisory boards. Three main components of the structure of these measures were adopted, i.e.: creation of links, motivation for establishing links, and support for cohesion. These activities reflect the idea of interlocking directorates considered from the institutional perspective of the interrelated entities, the individual perspective of people involved in such relationships and the perspectives of the functioning of corporate elites Empirical analysis of selected aspects of management activities in the interorganizational network, relating to the phenomenon of interlocking directorates, was conducted based on a case study. Interviews with representatives of boards of directors and supervisory boards allowed for characterization of their opinion on creating links within networks, motivational aspects of interlocking directorates and supporting the cohesion of the business environment. The results of the analyses demonstrated that interlocking directorates has a character of a tool for management of interorganizational relations.