Empirical Evidence of Collaborative Efficiency in Whole Network Studies in the Public Sector

Public services are provided through complex inter-organisation networks involving government departments and agencies, public procurement, private sector providers of goods and services, industry representative bodies, regulatory bodies and a range of other stakeholders. From a public management perspective inter-organisation network typology identifies three types of networks - policy networks, collaborative networks and governance networks (Isett, Mergel et al. 2011). All three types – policy networks, collaborative networks and governance networks – are present in public management (Popp, MacKean et al. 2013). Collaborative networks are the most common type of networks found in public and not-for-profit sectors, particularly healthcare (Eisingerich, Rubera et al. 2009). Collaboration in these inter-organisational networks is often intersectional, among business, government, non-profit organisations, communities and/or public as a whole (Bryson, Crosby et al. 2006, Rethemeyer and Hatmaker 2008). Whilst the importance of understanding dyadic relationships within public management networks is recognised, (Isett and Provan 2005, Provan and Lemaire 2012), the provision of health and social care and more broadly public management are viewed as particularly suited to inter-organisation networks as a mechanism (Reid 1995, Berry, Brower et al. 2004). Most empirical studies of inter-organisational networks are at the organisation level of analysis, not the inter-organisation network level of analysis – so called ‘whole network’ studies are rare (Kilduff and Tsai 2003, Provan, Fish et al. 2007). This paper reports on a systematic literature of so called ‘whole network studies’. These are analysed to identify those reporting efficiencies relating to public sector networks, how those efficiencies were achieved and theoretical perspectives taken. Conclusions are drawn on whole network studies to date in public administration. Co-authors are T.Johnsen, J.Roehrich and H.Walker who will register for ECPR account shortly