New Book Published on 4 March: 'Mutuality Determines Quality Stakeholder Network'

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Feb. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Business relationships need to be sufficiently reciprocal and offer relevant benefits. When a relationship offers insufficient mutual interest, there is no balance in the cooperation. Although relationship management is based in part on fluid components such as chemistry, the eventual success of a network mainly depends on the professionalism and mutual strategic values, tactical execution and operational quality.

Those are some of the findings of the authors of the book 'Managing Authentic Relationships; Facing New Challenges in a Changing Context'. The book is published by Amsterdam University Press and the Institute of Strategic Relationship Management (ISRM) in The Hague, the Netherlands, and is written by Jean Paul Wijers, Monica Bakker, Robert Collignon and Gerty Smit. The book focuses on those who have the responsibility within an organization for the management of a professional business network.

Effective and agile
Strategic relationship management is a crucial condition for the success of organizations, the authors present. 'Managing Authentic Relationships' describes an approach to relationship management that contributes to the achievement of strategic objectives of an organization:

• The development of a relationship management strategy.
• The right approach for the complex management of relations.
• Management by tangible results; the Return-on-Relationship.
• Clear internal responsibility for the relationship management.
• The right supervision for the transition to a modern network organization.
• The development of the strong networking competencies and measurable, effective networking meetings.

Authenticity
Although mutual interests are the foundation of every professional business relationship, authenticity is crucial, the authors write in the book. This is all about concepts such as integrity, transparency and reliability. 'The wish to squeeze as much as possible out of the relationship harms the relationship and increases distance and distrust', the authors describe.

Managing Authentic Relationships describes the paradox that occurs; relationships develop best in the absence of a previously stated goal and a strict timetable, but relationship management means setting goals and creating a plan.

High-trust Value Networks
In the future more and more networks are based on a good combination of confidence and added business value. 'In our current time, uncertainty and change are become the new normal', the authors claim. 'Long-term trust relationships provide the support, protection and resilience that characterize the 'High-trust Value Networks' of the future. Where contracts and procedures sometimes complicate the relationship, trust reduces the complexity of relationships and increases the agility of the parties involved needed to achieve joint common goals and solutions.'

The authors also identify the common mistake that organizations do not start expanding their network until they find themselves in need of. 'Make friends before you need them', the authors claim. 'People rightly wonder about the sincerity of your intentions. By that time, the network should already be in place and have a solid basis of reciprocity and trust.'

SOURCE Amsterdam University Press

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