Impact of Information Network Structure on Interorganizational Partnership Collaboration: A Hierarchical Perspective
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: This report presents findings from the study of the communications patterns of 121 organizations in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire promoting sustainable transportation. It builds on previous research, focusing here on the how the interorganizational partnerships are formed. In this report the authors develop a hierarchical path by which social network characteristics impact the formation of partnership through the mediations of perceived influence and service (function) generalism. The latter two represent the factors that mediate the likelihood that network factors lead to partnership opportunities. In this report the authors examine how network characteristics serve as predictors of perceived influence within the context of sustainable transportation policy networks. This research suggests that organizations with perceived influence and functional diversity, as a result of their strategic network positions can acquire legitimacy or competence through partnerships and changes in their network position. Strategic network positions within an information network produces two opportunity factors for the focal organizations – perceived influence and function generalism, which facilitate those organizations to form partners with others and increase their capacity.
Authors: Richard Watts, Tao Sun
Language: English
Subfield: Public Administration
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2216401278