Inter-Organizational Networks: A Review of the Literature to Inform Practice

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By

H. Brinton Milward, Ph.D.

Director and Providence Service Corporation Chair in Public Management

University of Arizona 520-621-7476 milward@email.arizona.edu

Gail MacKean

Health planning, evaluation & research consultant, Assistant Professor (Adjunct)

University of Calgary (403)830-2580 glmackea@ucalgary.ca

Ann Casebeer

Adjunct Professor

Department of Community Health Sciences The University of Calgary a.casebeer@ucalgary.ca

Janice Popp

Assistant Professor (Adjunct), Faculty of Social Work

University of Calgary (403)874-3109 jkpopp@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Ron Lindstrom

Professor in the School of Leadership Studies; Director, Centre for Health Leadership and Research, and, Henri M. Toupin Research Fellow in Health Systems Leadership

Royal Roads University , Ext. 4130 ronald.lindstrom@royalroads.ca

This report examines the literature on interorganizational networks that has evolved over the past decade, which has been written from the perspective of a wide range of academic disciplines, such as sociology, business management, public administration, and political science. 

The authors seek to distill key concepts and trends from the literature in order to help busy government readers make sense of what is out there, and where they might most fruitfully spend their time when they find a need for a “deeper dive.”  This includes an exploration of the types and structures of networks, their governance and leadership, their evolution over time, and how they are evaluated for effectiveness.

Inter-Organizational Networks: A Review of the Literature to Inform Practice