Interorganizational development is defined as "the application of social
science knowledge to the creation of planned, systematic, and mutually
beneficial cooperative relationships among otherwise autonomous organi
zations." The practice of interorganizational development is becoming of
increasing importance as consultants and administrators seek to help both
private and public-sector organizations take advantage of interorganizational
cooperation as a means of dealing with today's complex and demanding
environmental pressures. This paper summarizes the open questions that
must be answered by researchers if practitioners of interorganizational
development are to have adequate planning-and-action guidelines. The open
questions should also help the practitioners become more sensitive to
potential action considerations that may require special thought and attention
until a firmer knowledge base becomes established in the areas of inter
organizational development.
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