Governance of inter-organizational networks: a systematic literature review and qualitative meta-synthesis

Project info

Work package
  • Work
Sustainability threat
  • External Shocks
  • Feedback Cycles
  • Spillovers
Challenge
  • Reshaping organizational forms
  • Shared responsibility and sustainable cooperation

Study info

Description of Study
Networked collaboration between organizations is assumed to be an answer to many global problems (Ferlie et al., 2011; Weber & Khademian, 2008). However, we still have a long way to go in sustaining such joint efforts in globalized but yet fragmented societies. Decades of research show that networks' performance depends enormously on both structure and different aspects of the context, such as firms’ size and diversity, institutional settings of an industry and so on (see, for example, a literature review by Bergenholtz & Waldstrøm, 2011). What we are missing, however, is a link between these two: the close examination of configurations between governance and the context. This paper aims to systematically collect and examine the descriptions of real-life networks in different contexts, and compare the governance modes of these networks to the existing classifications. We attempt to inductively create a descriptive account of governance forms that would provide a foundation for further research. In this paper, we apply qualitative meta-synthesis to study inter-organizational networks at a large scale by re-examining thick descriptions that are available from numerous but otherwise scattered qualitative case studies. This method enables researchers to combine qualitative findings systematically, turning their high contextualized nature into an asset. In this study, we make the first step toward such a systematic comparison
Study research question
By "fishing out" descriptions of existing networks from the body of academic literature, we aim: 1. To provide a nuanced description of the governance forms in inter-organizational networks across the globe, and to explore whether Provan & Kenis' (2008) classification is equally applicable across different contexts and sectors; to see whether refinement of this categorization is required and if so, in what way. 2. To explore whether contextual factors affect modes of network governance, and if so – what factors emerge from our inductive analysis.
Collection provenance
  • External data
Collection methods
  • Text Analysis
Personal data
No
External Source
Source description
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
We searched for the studies published in English across the whole database. The research string can be found in the protocol of the literature review below.
File formats
  • .doc
  • .pdf
Data types
  • Unstructured
Languages
  • English
Coverage start
Coverage end
01/01/1993
01/08/2021
Spatial coverage
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
Collection period start
01/07/2020
Collection period end
01/07/2021

Variables

Unit
Unit description
Sample size
Sampling method
Other
a description of inter-organizational network in a paper published in a journal or in a conference proceedings
72
systematic literature review
Hypothesis
Theory
It is hypothesized that the more members the network has, the more centralized structure it would opt for.
Preposition formulated by Provan and Kenis (2008) and developed further in Raab's configurational approach to the network effectiveness (2013)
It is hypothesized that networks of business organizations would structure collaboration differently from networks of non-profit organizations, and hence have different governance structure
Exchange theory
It is hypothesized that the differences in countries' cultures could affect the extend of networks' centralization.
Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory
Variable type
Variable name
Variable description
Dependent variable
governance structure
A variable specific for this data collection. We define several types of governance structure are used: three are based on the study of Provan & Kenis (2008), and others are based on inductive findings
Independent variable
number of network partners
A variable specific for this data collection (how many organizations constitute the network)
Independent variable
location
A variable specific for this data collection. We indicate whether the network operates in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, global
Independent variable
type of network members
A variable specific for this data collection. Actors can be public, private, non-profit, mixed
Independent variable
A standardized vatiable: International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities
Discipline-specific operationalizations
Conflict of interest
no

Data packages

Publication package

Data package DOI
Description
papers that ended up in the analysis
Accessibility
Open Access
Repository
RUG intranet
User license
Retention period
10

Publications

Documents

Filename
Description
Date
The file was created before the beginning of the study and describes inclusion and exclusion criteria, list of databases, search string, and the methods the researchers planned to use.
2022-02-05 16:23:27

Ethics

Ethical assessment
No
Ethical committee