e3 alignment : Exploring inter-organizational alignment in value webs

In this paper we introduce the e³ alignment approach for inter-organizational alignment. With e³ alignment we create alignment between organizations operating in a value Web-which is a set of organizations who jointly satisfy a customer need-by (1) focusing on the interaction between the organizations in the value web, (2) considering interaction from four different perspectives, and (3) utilizing conceptual modeling techniques for each perspective. By creating inter-organizational alignment between the actors in a value web e³ alignment ultimately contributes to a sustainable and profitable value Web. To actually create alignment, e³ alignment iteratively takes three specific steps: (1) identification of alignment issues, (2) solution design, and (3) impact analysis. We tested e³ alignment on an industrial strength case study in the Spanish electricity industry.