Ignoring the Experts: Networks and Organizational Learning in the Public Sector

Siciliano, Michael D.

doi:10.1093/jopart/muw052

Cited by 44 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Consequently, and similar to other choices made with incomplete information, clinicians may satisfice by choosing an advice source who is known, in close proximity, and accessible [ 31 , 37 , 38 ]. In fact, accessibility is one of the most consistent and important determinants of advice-seeking [ 31 , 39 , 40 ]. Learning collaboratives bring clinicians into closer proximity to expertise during learning sessions, structured coaching calls, group work among implementation teams, conference calls with other teams, and site-visits with faculty experts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advice-seeking during implementation: a network study of clinicians participating in a learning collaborative

et al. 2018

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BackgroundSuccessful implementation depends on the transfer of knowledge and expertise among clinicians, which can occur when professionals seek advice from one another. This study examines advice-seeking patterns among mental health clinicians participating in learning collaboratives (a multi-component implementation and quality improvement strategy) to implement trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). We apply transactive memory system theory, which explains how professionals access and retrieve knowledge, to examine factors associated with the evolution of advice-seeking relationships during implementation. Our aim is to unpack learning collaboratives’ mechanisms by investigating how and why advice-seeking networks change, which may help us understand how implementation strategies can best target networks.MethodsUsing social network analysis and a pretest-post-test design, we examined patterns in general and treatment-specific advice-seeking among 146 participants (including five clinical experts) from 27 agencies participating in a regional scale-up of TF-CBT. Surveys were administered in-person at the first and last of three in-person learning sessions (10 months apart) that comprise a core component of learning collaboratives. Participants nominated up to five individuals from whom they seek general and treatment-specific advice. Exponential random graph models (ERGMs) tested the likelihood of maintaining or forming advice-seeking relationships based on indicators of expertise quality, accessibility, need, and prior advice-seeking relationships.ResultsParticipants formed or maintained advice-seeking relationships with those who possess perceived expertise (e.g., learning collaborative faculty experts, supervisors, and those with greater field experience than themselves). Participants also tended to seek advice from those within the same organization and with similar disciplinary training, highlighting the importance of expertise accessibility. Prior relationships and network structural features were associated with advice-seeking, indicating that participants built on existing social ties. Advice-seeking did not vary based on participants’ role or experience.ConclusionsGiven the importance of accessible clinical expertise and ongoing supervision for delivering treatment with fidelity, learning collaboratives may support implementation by promoting clinicians’ awareness of and access to others’ expertise, especially those with substantial expertise to share (e.g., faculty experts and supervisors). Future controlled studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of learning collaboratives for building networks that connect clinicians and experts and for improving implementation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13012-018-0797-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advice-seeking during implementation: a network study of clinicians participating in a learning collaborative

et al. 2018

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“…Public management scholars and practitioners have paid increasing attention to how and with whom public employees communicate and socialize and to the formation and composition of interpersonal networks (Kapucu, Hu, & Khosa, 2017; Maroulis, 2017; Nisar & Maroulis, 2017; Siciliano, 2017). Through socializing with colleagues, employees learn about organizational culture, practices, and social norms and adopt behavior and attitudes that are acceptable within their organization (Hatmaker, Park, & Rethemeyer, 2011).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, previous research finds that close ties have great relevance in public employees’ network (Berman et al, 2002). For instance, Siciliano (2017) shows that public employees tend to seek professional information from close ties. Given the importance of closeness, public employees might utilize social media as an additional communication tool to maintain and connect with close colleagues.…”

Section: Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Media Communication in the Workplace: Evidence From Public Employees’ Networks

Fusi

Zhang

2018

Review of Public Personnel Administration

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Although public employees increasingly utilize social media in the workplace, public management scholarship has provided little evidence on how public employees use such tools and what role they play in professional networks. Public organizations struggle to balance policies encouraging social media use for communication and regulations that prevent time wasting or security issues. We suggest that an examination of social media communication patterns can guide public organizations to design organizational policies and address internal social media use. Combining a network approach with insights from communication and social media studies, we investigate how closeness, proximity, interactions, and resources predict public employees’ communication on social media. We develop and test a multilevel model using 2014 egocentric network data among 2,362 employees in a U.S. public university. We find that social media communication in public organizations is explained by proximity, closeness, and social interactions rather than professional interactions and access to resources.

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“…In the last decade, interest in the area of organizational learning has been growing. Although much of the research has concerned the private sector, research on learning within the public sector is also attracting increasing attention (Askim, Johansen, & Christophersen, 2008; Moynihan & Landuyt, 2009; Rashman, Withers, & Hartley, 2009; Siciliano, 2017; Visser & Van der Togt, 2016). Whether organizational learning should be defined as change in cognition or change in behavior has been debated, but most researchers, as stated by Argote (2011), have defined organizational learning as a change in organizational knowledge resulting from the experience and the context in which the learning occurs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Network learning and trust: A case study of a benchmarking network

Dietrichson

Bukh

2020

Financ Acc Manag

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When organizations engage in learning from each other through self‐governed networks, they may encounter challenges regarding confidentiality. This is particularly true if external accountability needs of the network participants conflict with internal accountability among participants and/or network‐level objectives. This study shows how important it is to have specific agreements about not using findings for accountability outside the network. Empirical evidence comes from a longitudinal case study of a benchmarking project involving six independent public sector companies. Based on reciprocal trust among the participants, the promise of confidentiality was made up front and enforced throughout the network collaboration by the participants themselves.

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Ignoring the Experts: Networks and Organizational Learning in the Public Sector

Cited by 44 publications

References 87 publications

Advice-seeking during implementation: a network study of clinicians participating in a learning collaborative

Advice-seeking during implementation: a network study of clinicians participating in a learning collaborative

Social Media Communication in the Workplace: Evidence From Public Employees’ Networks

Network learning and trust: A case study of a benchmarking network

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