Coordination Patterns Within an Interorganizational Network

Abstract

This research examines and compares patterns of coordination among clusters of organizations which are all members of a larger network of human service agencies. The blockmodeling procedure developed by Breiger et al. was used to analyze the data collected, and three tightly connected clusters of agencies werefound to exist in the network. By evaluating the reasons why organizations reported being involved with others, it was found that the three interorganizational clusters existed for three predominantly different reasons: resource transactions, direct services, and planning and coordination. The three clusters were then compared on a number of dimensions of interorganizational coordination, and it was found there were significantly different patterns of relationships among these clusters of agencies while no significant differences among the clusters were found on perceived effectiveness and the degree of impact of the relationships. A theoretical explanation for the observed results is developed. The major conclusion is that it is important to determine the different reasons for interorganizational relationships if one is to understand the various patterns of coordination among clusters of organizations within interorganizational networks.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

ALDRICH, H. An organization-environment perspective on cooperation and conflict between organizations in the manpower training system. In A. Negandhi (Ed.), Organization theory in an interorganizational perspective. Kent, Ohio: Comparative Administration Research Institute, Center for Business and Economic Research, Kent State University , 1972, pp. 35-52.

ALDRICH, H. The environment as a network of organizations: Theoretical and methodological implications . Cornell University, prepared for presentation at the Research Committee on Organizations Section of the International Sociological Association Meeting, Toronto, August 1974.

BAVELAS, A. A mathematical model for group structures . Applied Anthropology, 1948, 7, 16-30 .

BOORMAN, S. A. , & WHITE, H. Social structure from multiple networks. II. Role structures . American Journal of Sociology, 1976, 81(6), 1384-1446 .

BREIGER, R. L. , BOORMAN, S. A. , & ARABIE, P. An algorithm for clustering relational data, with applications to social network analysis and comparison with multidimensional scaling . Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 1975, 12(August), 328-383 .

EVAN, W. The organization set: Toward a theory of inter-organizational relations. In J. Thompson (Ed.), Approaches to organizational design. Pittsburgh: University Press , 1966.

HALL, R. H. Inter-organizational relationships . Paper presented at the meetings of the International Sociological Association, Toronto, 1974.

HALL, R. H., CLARK, J. P., GIORDANO, P. C., JOHNSON, P. V., & VAN ROEKEL, M. Patterns of interorganizational relationships. Unpublished, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, 1976.

HARARY, F. , NORMAN, R. Z. , & CARTWRIGHT, D. Structural models: An introduction to the theory of directed graphs. New York: Wiley , 1965.

10.

LEVINE, S. , & WHITE, P. E. Exchange as a conceptual framework for the study of interorganizational relationships . Administrative Science Quarterly, 1961, 5, 583-601 .

11.

RIEKER, P. , MORRISSEY, J. , & HORAN, P. Interorganizational relations: A critique of theory and method. Prepared for an Organizations Day Round Table Presentation at the American Sociological Association, Montreal , August 1974.

12.

ROGERS, D. L. Sociometric analysis of interorganizational relations: Application of theory and measurement . Rural Sociology, 1974, 39(4), 487-503 .

13.

VAN DE VEN, A. H. On the nature, formation and maintenance of relations among organizations . Academy of Management Review, 1976, 1 (3), 24-36 .

14.

VAN DE VEN, A. H. , EMMETT, D. , & KOENIG, R. Frameworks for inter-organizational analysis . Organization and Administrative Sciences Journal, 1974, 7(1), 113-129 .

15.

VAN DE VEN, A. H. , LISTON, J. , KOENIG, R. , & ESTERLINE, B. Pair-wise inter-agency relationships among local Texas early childhood service organizations. Austin: Texas Department of Community Affairs, Office of Early Childhood Development , Interim Evaluation Report on First Survey, March 5, 1975.

16.

WARREN, R. , BERGUNDER, A. , NEWTON, J. W. , & ROSE, S. The interactions of community decision organizations: Some conceptual considerations and empirical findings. In A. Negandhi (Ed.), Organization theory in an inter-organizational perspective. Kent, Ohio: Comparative Administration Research Institute, Center for Business and Economic Research, Kent State University , 1971, pp. 35-52.

17.

WARREN, R. , ROSE, S. , & BERGUNDER, A. The structure of urban reform. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath , 1974.

18.

WHITE, H. C. , BOORMAN, S. A. , & BREIGER, R. L. Social structure from multiple networks. I. Blockmodels of roles and positions . American Journal of Sociology, 1976, 81 (January), 730-780 .