What is Collaboration Readiness?

What is Collaboration Readiness? Individual and community psychological readiness is discussed in a number of contexts and usually focuses on preparedness to respond to external stimuli [Skinnerian] (Lado & Wilson, 1994), internal urges [Freudian] (Engle & Arkowitz, 2006), learning abilities [Rogerian] (Ajzen, 1991; Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980; Bandura, 1991) and/or creativity [Jungian] (Oetting et al., 1995; Oetting, Jumper-Thurman, Pleasted, & Edwards, 2001). Each of these schools of thought share the basic premise that individuals respond to needs that call them to adapt to a changing environment that will require cognitive, behavioral, and attitudinal adjustments (Miller & Tonigan, 1996). To measure these responses, output indicators and team interactive qualities have dominated the literature and have been used as evidence of individual readiness.  Scholars and theorists have addressed concerns about this response in a number of ways. Contemporary issues associated with disparate groups (Olson & Olson, 2000), the ethics of collaboration (DuBois et al., 2012; Macrina et al., 1995), and the organizational antecedents necessary for productive scientific collaboration (Katz, 1982; Salazar, Lant, & Kane, 2011) have received great attention. Popular methodological tools for studying these conditions have included bibliometrics (Hall, Feng, Moser, Stokols, & Taylor, 2008), networking analysis (Trochim, Marcus, Masse, Moser, & Weld, 2008; Wuchty, Jones, & Uzzi, 2007), behavioral studies (Shuffler, DiazGranados, & Salas, 2011), social-cognitive framework analysis (Paletz & Schunn, 2010) and quality measures (Falk-Krzesinski et al., 2011; Mickan & Rodger, 2005).