Structural development of public management networks over time: Where process meets structure.

摘要

The main goal of the dissertation is to develop and test the conceptual framework for the structural development of public management networks over time. The present research has three foci: it offers a framework of structural tendencies of public management network organizations using a multi-theoretical multilevel approach (Contractor, Wasserman, & Faust, 2006) in the dynamic perspective, it suggests propositions about structural configurations of public management networks in the different stages of network development and it tests suggested propositions regarding structural tendencies of public management networks over time. Therefore, the present research is intended to answer the following questions that are both practically and theoretically important - at the theoretical level, it moves away from traditionally adopted public administration approaches to describe and explore network processes at one level and using one theory to actually confirm and make inferences using multiple theories and different levels of the networks. Using the case of Metro High School in Columbus, Ohio, I will test a theoretical framework of the structural development of public management networks over time using different theories at the different levels of networks: 1. What processes are predominant for each stage in the evolution of public management networks? 2. What are the structural configurations of public management networks in the different stages of network development at levels of the network (actor level, dyadic level, triadic level and global level)? 3. What is the effect of individual characteristics of the network actors such as gender, sector differences and inter-organizational network experience of on the structural configurations of public management networks over time?;The present dissertation aims to develop a theoretical framework clearly explaining structural development of public management networks over time using sociological, organizational and public management theories at the different levels of network (actor level, dyadic level, triadic level and global level). Contractor, Wasserman and Faust (2006) offer "a more theoretically and a methodologically sophisticated approach to explain the emergence of network." (pp. 700-701). I use their study as s a methodological guide to develop a theory of structural development of public management networks over time.;The present research has potential theoretical and practical contributions to the field of public management. From a theoretical perspective, the proposed research can contribute to theory building in the field of public management by developing testable structural hypotheses that can explain the development of public management networks. By now, public management network research had been flooded with one or two network case studies using descriptive network analyses and calls for predictive models linking structural and process antecedents of the network performance (Isett & Provan, 2005; Lemaire & Provan, 2009; Provan, 1993; Provan, Beyer, & Kruytbosch, 1980; Provan & Huang, 2012; Provan, Huang, & Milward, 2009; Provan, Lamb, & Doyle, 2004; Provan & Milward, 1991, 1995). The present research has also a potential value for policy makers, public managers and public program evaluators who evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of networks as the responses to the complex and "wicked problems" (Rittel & Webber, 1973). The conceptual and methodological framework on structural configurations of public management networks in the various stages of development can be used by policy analysts and public program evaluators to understand, measure, and, evaluate the main aspects of network effectiveness using statistically robust approaches in network modeling.