När gränsen för styrning suddas ut - En fallstudie av hur ett företags styrning påverkar dess kundrelationer
As collaboration between companies move beyond the single transaction into more long-term relationships the consequences of a company's control system become more complex. The aim of this paper is to provide an understanding of how intra- and inter-organizational control and work practices interact through examining how a company's intra-organizational control influences its customer relationships. The empirical research is performed through a qualitative case study where interviews have been conducted with management and sales staff within the case company as well as with one of the customers. The empirical findings have been analyzed using frameworks and theories regarding management control and customer relationships. The study reveals that the intra-organizational control of the case company affects its relationships with customers in a number of ways. One of the main conclusions is that control implemented to manage one group of sales staff and its customer relationships also affects sales staff and relationships with customers within another customer segment. Thus, some control mechanisms within the case company have wider consequences than just affecting the group of sales staff and customers which the control mechanisms initially aimed at. Results also highlight the importance of understanding and acting upon the fact that intra- and inter-organizational control and work practices interact.