Striving for State of the Art with Paradigm Interplay and Meta-Synthesis: Purpose-oriented Network Research Challenges and Good Research Practices as a Way Forward

Lemaire, Robin H.; Mannak, Remco S.; Ospina, Sonia; Groenleer, Martijn

doi:10.1093/ppmgov/gvz010

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…In contrast, the integration of the networks can certainly differ, as the network managers have the opportunity to structure the relationships within the network. Third, the static character of network analysis should be recognized, and because networks are not static but dynamic systems, the results should be interpretated with caution (Human and Provan, 2000;Lemaire et al, 2019;Popp et al, 2014). Fourth, although we were able to determine and compare the differentiation and integration of the child welfare and healthcare services delivery networks that are critical for network success (Kramer, 2014;Popp et al, 2014;Provan and Lemaire, 2012;Milward, 1995, 2001;Smith, 2020;Turrini et al, 2010), we did not examine whether the structural form has an actual influence on network outputs or outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cross-sectoral collaboration: comparing complex child service delivery systems

Blanken

Mathijssen

Nieuwenhuizen

et al. 2022

JHOM

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PurposeTo help ensure that children with social and behavioral health problems get the support services they need, organizations collaborate in cross-sectoral networks. In this article, the authors explore and compare the structure of these complex child service delivery networks in terms of differentiation (composition) and integration (interconnection). In particular, the authors investigate the structure of client referral and identify which organizations are most prominent within that network structure and could therefore fulfill a coordinating role.Design/methodology/approach The authors used a comparative case study approach and social network analysis on three interorganizational networks consisting of 65 to 135 organizations within the Dutch child service delivery system. Semi-structured interviews with the network managers were conducted, and an online questionnaire was sent out to the representatives of all network members.Findings The networks are similarly differentiated into 11 sectors with various tasks. Remarkably, network members have contact with an average of 20–26 organizations, which is a fairly high number to be handled successfully. In terms of integration, the authors found a striking diversity in the structures of client referral and not all organizations with a gatekeeper task hold central positions.Originality/value Due to the scarcity of comparative whole network research in the field, the strength of this study is a deeper understanding of the differentiation and integration of complex child service delivery systems. These insights are crucial in order to deliver needed services and to minimize service silos and fragmentation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-sectoral collaboration: comparing complex child service delivery systems

Blanken

Mathijssen

Nieuwenhuizen

et al. 2022

JHOM

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“…In addition, networks are not static but dynamic systems [ 27 – 29 ]. Consequently, it is to be expected that information exchange relationships are continuously evolving, as information exchange is one of the key processes in a network [ 30 , 31 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intersectoral collaboration at a decentralized level: information flows in child welfare and healthcare networks

Blanken

Mathijssen

Nieuwenhuizen

et al. 2022

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background As needs of families with social and behavioral health problems often exceed the expertise and possibilities of a single professional, service or organization, cross-service collaboration is indispensable to adequately meeting those needs. Despite the progressive focus on organizing integrated care, service fragmentation and service duplication remain persistent problems in child welfare and healthcare service delivery systems. A crucial factor to overcome these problems is information exchange between organizations. This study explores and compares the development over time of structures of information exchange in networks, concerning both material and knowledge-based information. Methods A comparative case study and social network analysis of three inter-organizational networks of child welfare and healthcare services in different-sized municipalities in the Netherlands. The research population consisted of organizations from various sectors participating in the networks. Data were collected at two moments in time with a mixed method: semi-structured interviews with network managers and an online questionnaire for all network members. Density and degree centralization were used to examine the information exchange structures. Ucinet was used to analyze the data, with use of the statistical tests: Compare Density Procedure and Quadratic Assignment Procedure. Results This study shows that different structures of information exchange can be distinguished, concerning both material and knowledge-based information. The overall connectedness of the studied structures of the networks are quite similar, but the way in which the involvement is structured turns out to be different between the networks. Over time, the overall connectedness of those structures appears to be stable, but the internal dynamics reveals a major change in relationships between organizations in the networks. Conclusions Our study yields empirical evidence for the existence of and the differences between structures and dynamics of both material and knowledge-based information exchange relationships. With a loss of more than a half of the relations in a year, the relationships between the organizations in the network are not very stable over time. The contrast between major internal dynamics and the stable overall connectedness is an important point of concern for network managers and public officials, since this impermanence of relations means that long-term integrated care cannot be guaranteed.

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“…According to Carboni et al (2019), a purpose-oriented network is defined as “ a network comprised of three or more autonomous actors who participate in a joint effort based on a common purpose” (p. 210). The term “purpose-oriented” networks (Berthod & Segato, 2019; Lemaire et al, 2019) was proposed as an extension and clarification of the well-known term “goal-directed networks.” According to this line of research (Nowell & Kenis, 2019), “goal-directed” implies that network members have identified and agreed on a set of goals that guide the work of the network, which in practice is often not necessarily true. The term purpose-oriented networks thus take into consideration the complexity of the relationship between the network members as well as the environment in which they operate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Local Service Effectiveness Through Purpose-Oriented Networks: The Role of Network Leadership and Structure

Uster

Vashdi

Beeri

2022

The American Review of Public Administration

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The public administration literature has demonstrated that the manner in which a network is led is related to its effectiveness. However, why this relationship occurs and whether it is dependent on external circumstances remain unclear. Relying on Provan and Milward's framework of interorganizational network effectiveness and the neo-institutional approach to local leadership, we propose that the manner in which the local authority leads the local network is related to the network's structure, which, in turn, influences its effectiveness. We also propose that this association is contingent on the characteristics of the local authority in which the network exists. Using a sample of 586 network participants from 68 Israeli networks, we demonstrate that the degree to which the local authority is centralized explains the link between the network's leadership and its effectiveness, but only in local authorities with a high socioeconomic status (SES). In addition, we find that in Israeli Arab municipalities such centralization is counterproductive, impeding the network's effectiveness. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

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Striving for State of the Art with Paradigm Interplay and Meta-Synthesis: Purpose-oriented Network Research Challenges and Good Research Practices as a Way Forward

Cited by 16 publications

References 55 publications

Cross-sectoral collaboration: comparing complex child service delivery systems

Cross-sectoral collaboration: comparing complex child service delivery systems

Intersectoral collaboration at a decentralized level: information flows in child welfare and healthcare networks

Enhancing Local Service Effectiveness Through Purpose-Oriented Networks: The Role of Network Leadership and Structure

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