Jörg Raab

Heading Toward a Society of Networks Empirical Developments and Theoretical Challenges

In the essay, it is first argued that Western societies are moving towards a society of networks, i.e. a society, in which the formal, vertically integrated organization that has dominated the 20th century is replaced or at least complemented by consciously created and goal directed networks of three and more organizations (whole networks). To substantiate this proposition we describe and analyze the development of organizational forms and the subsequent scientific efforts to grasp these developments theoretically and methodologically in the last 200-300 years. Second, the current state of network theory is briefly evaluated with regard to whole networks. In a third part, future research avenues concerning the development of theories that explain the coming into being, functioning, structure, governance and dissolution of whole networks (network theories) are discussed.

Dark networks as organizational problems: Elements of a theory

ABSTRACT In this paper, we try to understand and interpret why and how dark networks manage to survive despite massive control efforts by nation states, thus demonstrating a high degree of resilience. We approach this question from an organizational perspective looking at the (organizational) changes dark networks undergo in adapting to attempts to destroy them. We draw on insights based on the analysis of how Al Qaeda changed after the massive control efforts by some of the worlds most powerful nation states since their attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001. In order to develop more general propositions, we contrast the Al Qaeda case with the development of the organizational structure behind the cocaine trade from Colombia to the United States after it had become the object of massive control efforts by the U.S. during the 1990s. Through the analysis we inductively develop a theoretical framework for the analysis of dark networks. Central to this framework is the assumption that dark networks, which are resilient, manage to rebalance differentiation and integration mechanisms in their internal structure and adjust to the new requirements in their task environment based on the actors, their linkages and resources available in order to persist and maintain some capacity to act. We further identify drivers and facilitators stemming from larger societal and political problems that create the motivation for new people to join dark networks. The analysis shows that control efforts that are directed towards the organizational extinction of dark networks will be likely to fail as long as the central problems behind their existence are not tackled. We conclude by sketching out an agenda for future organizational research on covert and illegal networks and organizations.

Explanation Through Network Visualization

Assessments of configurations, dynamics, and cause and effect are at the heart of our thinking and explanation. Although numerous methods for such assessments have been developed and are being used in daily scientific practice, visualization is usually not considered to be one of them. In this article we first argue that this is due to the common practice of visualizing data rather than the information contained in it; second, we address a number of principles for effective visualization; and third, we assess visualizations generated by the software tool visone in order to explain network outcomes using these principles.

Composing Effective Teams through Team Dating

Previous research showed that short initial interaction in dyads accurately predicts future relation development. The paper extends these results from dyads to teams and demonstrates that data collected from short initial contacts (reciprocal relational preferences) are a sound basis for designing effective teams. In the approach we propose, potential team members have short initial contacts (popularly known as ‘speed dating’) and we use the information on interpersonal evaluations to create teams by maximizing the number of reciprocal relational preferences within a team. In a sample of 76 teams (N = 378, 36 attribute-based teams and 40 team-dating teams), we show that teams formed based on relational data are more effective than teams formed by maximizing within team diversity (gender and nationality). Team-dating teams show a better teamwork quality and develop more complex collective knowledge structures compared with attribute-based teams.

Educational diversity and group effectiveness: a social network perspective

Purpose – This paper sets out to test the mediating role of internal network density and external network range in the relationship between educational diversity (i.e. separation and variety) and group effectiveness.Design/methodology/approach – The authors surveyed 267 employees in 54 organizational groups.Findings – The studys results show that educational separation has a U‐shaped relationship with the advice network density. Moreover, educational variety moderates the relation of educational separation with external network range in such a way that for groups with high educational variety, the relationship between educational separation and external network range is U‐shaped, while for groups with low educational variety the relationship has an inverted U shape. The results also show that internal network density and external network range mediate the relationship between educational diversity and group effectiveness.Research limitations/implications – The paper extends the literature on group divers...

Reciprocated relational preferences and intra-team conflict

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of the interaction between team diversity and reciprocated relational preferences on task and relationship conflict in teams.Design/methodological approach – The paper reports the results of an empirical study conducted on 66 teams, of which 32 were randomly created, while 34 teams were formed through a pair matching strategy (team dating).Findings – The results show that mutual positive preferences attenuated the positive impact of team diversity on relationship conflict within teams.Research limitations/implications – The results support the theoretical distinction between task and relationship conflict and show that close interpersonal relations within teams have a differential impact on the two types of conflict.Practical implications – The results reported in the study support the use of the team dating strategy for team design in different organizational settings.Originality/value – The paper introduces a new method for team formation b...

Politiknetzwerke als Governanceform: Versuch einer Bestandsaufnahme und Neuausrichtung der Diskussion

Zwei Jahrzehnte Forschung zu Politiknetzwerken in der Politik- und Verwaltungswissenschaft seit dem bahnbrechenden Buch von Laumann und Knoke (1987) „The Organizational State“ haben zumindest von der Anzahl her betrachtet einen ansehnlichen Output hervorgebracht.1 Inzwischen findet sich eine grose Anzahl von Artikeln zu Politiknetzwerken in international fuhrenden Zeitschriften der Politik- und Verwaltungswisssenschaft und eine Vielzahl an Kapiteln in Sammelbanden und Sonderheften (u. a. Marin/Mayntz 1991; Jansen/Schubert 1995; Konig 1998; Sydow/Windeler 2000). „Politiknetzwerk“ kann daher als eines der zentralen analytischen Konzepte betrachtet werden, das sich inzwischen neben Ideen, Rational Choice/Vetospieler und Advocacy Coalition als weiterer analytischer Ansatz innerhalb der Policyforschung etabliert hat, mit denen es teils konkurriert, teils komplementar gebraucht wird. Inzwischen finden sich Studien, die mit dem Politiknetzwerkansatz arbeiten, auf allen Ebenen der Politikformulierung und -implementation: von der kommunal-regionalen (Melbek 1998; Schneider et al. 2003), der nationalen (u. a. Laumann/Knoke 1987; Rhodes 1991; Schneider/Werle 1991), der europaischen (Bretherton/Sperling 1996; Heritier 1993; Nolke 2002) bis hin zur internationalen Ebene (Grundmann 1998; Nolke 2004; Reinicke 1998).

The nature of orchestrational work

ABSTRACT This study presents results of a systematic participatory observation of daily activities of managers in inter-collaborative settings in the tradition of the Work Activity School. It is based on data collection among nine public managers who are active in networks/chains in the fields of public safety and health care in the Netherlands. The results demonstrate that a large part of the activities of managers still fall in the traditional managerial roles as identified by Mintzberg in his seminal study “The Nature of Managerial Work”. Yet, findings also show that there is a substantial part which can be subsumed under a new role, which we call orchestrational work.

Introduction: Towards the Study of Network Control

Networks have become extremely important coordination mechanisms for accomplishing individual and collective goals in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Networks, consisting of three or more organizations that consciously agree to coordinate and collaborate with one another, deliver goods and services, address problems and opportunities, transmit information, innovate and acquire needed resources. Since the early 1970s, the study of networks has increased exponentially (see e.g., Bradach and Eccles 1989; Powell 1990; Borgatti and Foster 2003; SmithDoerr and Powell 2005). Despite this increased attention to networks in the organizational literature, one of the topics that is conspicuously absent is the control of networks. The collective outcomes of networks are of special relevance in public management, where networks consisting of public, private and non-profit organizations produce public goods and services like health care (Milward and Provan 2000) or environmental protection (Schneider, Scholz, Lubell, Midruta, Edwardsen 2003). The same applies to what most of us would consider less desirable network outcomes such as the terror attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, Spain on March 11, 2004, and Britain on July 7, 2005. Thus attention is also drawn to the fact that many countries around the world have increasingly had to face transnational criminal networks with a global reach in terrorism, weapons, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and nuclear proliferation (Naı́m 2003). The ‘‘bright’’ and ‘‘dark’’ networks (Raab and Milward 2003) mentioned above point toward directing attention to the control of networks, control being generally International Public Management Journal

Innovations and institutions : an institutional perspective on the innovative efforts of banks and insurance companies

1. Introduction 2. Institutions and Innovations 3. Intermezzo: A Service Environment 4. Methodological Considerations 5. Exploring New Service Development 6. Organizing New Service Development 7. An Institutional Perspective on Persistent Innovation Problems 8. Towards an Institutional Theory of Innovation 9. Conclusion