Creating space for playfully learning to collaborate across organizational boundaries

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the authors’ action research praxis regarding the development of collaborative relations between organizations that incorporates an element of play. Based on transitional change thinking, the authors use play and simulation, creating a naturalistic setting, and provide spacing for relational dynamics to unfold so as to learn from these. Design/methodology/approach: The perspective taken in this paper draws on organizational psychology, systems psychodynamics and organization development. Findings: One workshop is described in detail, namely, “The Yacht Club.” Originality/value: The rationale for and design of workshops that provide transitional space for experiencing, researching and learning about interorganizational dynamics as a valuable alternative to positivist experimentation are described.