Ad hoc Coalitions as a form of Self-Organization: Insights from Complexity Theory and Inter-Organizational Relations

This paper aims at developing an innovative theoretical perspective on inter-organizational relations (IOR) by using complexity theory. Empirically the paper draws on military ad hoc collations in Africa which appear in and around African armed conflicts as an instrument of choice but often outside of established organizations such as the AU or UN. So far the literature on IOR has paid scant attention to ad hoc coalitions as institutions integrated in the wider framework of the African security architecture. To explore this novel form of institutionalization the paper refers to complexity theory (CT) and the notion of restricted complexity (RC). Based on CT ad hoc coalitions are explored as a form of self-organization with emergent (adaptive) properties within an existing security regime complex. As an open system (adhocism) is responsive to the environment in which it is operating including pre-existing international organizations, stake holder interests and security threats on the ground. RC is used to conceptualize strategic behavior in a context which is characterized by actor proliferation and uncertainty over outcomes. Thereby ad coalitions can be understood as an adaptive element within a complex self-organizing security system.