February 2016Webinar 3

Network Leadership Webinar Series

Today’s Presenter: Angel Saz-CarranzaToday’s Presenter: Angel Saz-Carranza

Angel Saz-Carranza

Unpacking Goal-Directed NetworksAngel Saz-Carranza

Agenda

• Goal-directed networks & Network administrative organizations (NAOs)

• NAO leadership of goal-directed networks:– The study & key tension– The practices

• Ongoing research

GOAL-DIRECTED NETWORKS & NAOs

1

Emergent out of serendipitous interaction

Kilduff and Tsai, 2003

Goal-directed networksSocial Networks

Interorganizational Networks

Encompasses ‘‘groups of three or more legally autonomous organizations that work together to achieve not only their own goals but also a collective goal’’ (Provan and Kenis, JPART, 2008, 231).

Goal-directed networks

Emergency Task Forces

Network Broker?

— Centrality / Formalization +

Coordination activities

Member interaction

Power balance Formalization of form

Cost

Shared Decentralized Multilateral Symmetrical Low Distributed Lead-member

Centralized (lead-member)

Bilateral (via lead-member)

Asymmetrical Medium Concentrated

NAO Centralized (NAO)

Bilateral (via NAO)

Symmetrical High Distributed

(Provan, Kenis 2008)

QUESTIONS?

NAO LEADERSHIP OF GOAL-DIRECTED NETWORKS

2-a

Midwest Network[$1.690.218 // 20]

Four “exceptional” cases

West Network[$195.000 // 16]

National Network[$290.000 // 30]

East Network[$2.167.560 // 164]

East Network

Arab-American Support Center

Alianza Dominicana,

Inc.

…

Catholic Charities-Diocese

Asian Americans for

Equality

City Mayor’s Office & Council

NAO

Focus: the unity-diversity tension

• Small group collaboration (Smith and Berg 1987) • Organizations (Lawrence and Lorsch, ASQ, 1967; Mintzberg

1983)• Interorganizational relationships

– RDT & diversity (Rethemeyer and Hatmaker 2008; Huxham and Beech 2003).

– Overembeddedness & trust Information & structural holes (Brass et al. 2004; Burt 1992; Coleman 1990; Uzzi 1997).

– Ospina and Saz-Carranza, A&S, 2010

Leadership activities Address unity-diversity tension Collective action

Unity/Diversity tension• “Every day we have to face that contradiction, that

paradox…it's stressful because then it's the same diversity and richness that gives us threat and at the same time gives us a lot of strength. [MwN]”

• Premises1. Diversity within the network is necessary for network

effectiveness 2. Unity of the network is necessary for network

effectiveness 3. Diversity and unity undermine each other

Unity/Diversity tension•Diversity

•Organizational characteristics•Organizational culture•Organizational sub-issues*•Cultural-national*•Geographic base*

•Unity•Meta-objective / vision•Identity / Experiences / Problems•Value of diversity

•Premise 3a: Diversity and unity may easily undermine each other

QUESTIONS?

WHAT ACTIVITIES DO NAOs PERFORM?

2-b

Managing the unity/diversity paradox

Bridging: mediating member differences

NetworkDomain

Framing: setting the stage for action. Frame basic agreements and procedures (structure, process, and culture)

Capacitating: constructing the right community. Contribute to enhance the networks’ or the members’ capacity (strategic recruitment & building member capacity)

Bridging diversity• “[It] is important [that] you don’t force it, because when you try to force it,

then it won’t work. Networks have to be managed in a natural manner. [National Network]”

• “I call them up before and I just feel them out and just see what your sort of thoughts are so I can be sort of mentally prepared for it. [East Network]”

•Open process avoids “exit” (Hirschman 1970) by members•Open process must be managed to avoid diversity turning into disunity (Gray 1995)•No control over the outcome; but oversight of the process.

•Intraorganizational management is about decision making (Simon 1976)Network management is about bridging decision-making

Framing unity• Procedures and routines

– A multi-layered cake [Midwest N.]; – Organic structure [East N.]– E.g. McCain-Kennedy Bill

• Rules, norms, values– “we shall overcome [Midwest N.]”– “un pueblo sin fronteras [National N.]”– “si se puede [West N.]”– chants demanding immigrant rights in front of City Hall [East N.]

•Board (Member orgs.)•NAO•Organizational member staff•Constituents

•Integrates members at all levels: incr. complexity, incr. unity•Unifies around vision, identity, and value of diversity (Hogg and Terry, AMJ, 2000)•Generates common meaning-making

•Important in fragmented settings.

Capacitating• “I think it [managing successfully] all starts off when an

organization applies to be part of the network. [National N.]”• “Networks have to give back results, such as training and

resources, to member groups. [East N.]”

•Selection consistent with U/D dimensions. •Network-level Working group-level

•Must deliver network gains but also organization-specific advantages (Inkpen and Tsang, AMA, 2007)

•Directly affects how members re-evaluates network.

Conclusion

*Bridging: mediating member differences

*Framing: setting the stage for action

*Capacitating: constructing the right community

Unity:*Identity*Value of diversity*Main goal

Diversity:*Member organizational characteristics*Member sub-issues*Member national culture

Ability to carry out collective action

Leadership activities Address unity-diversity tension Collective action

QUESTIONS?

ONGOING WORK

3

Ongoing work

• NAO structures• Strategy development in goal–directed

networks: who’s boss?

Staff

Plenary / General Board[unanimity]

Members

NAO

Simple type

Working Groups

Staff

Governance Board[EU votes]

Members

Working Groups

NAO

Director

European Energy Agency

Executive Board[EU votes]

Scientific Committee

Principal and agent

• Being at the service of the institution implies convincing those who have the power. You need to walk one step ahead [of the members], but only one step, not 20 kilometers; otherwise you become irrelevant.

• He was always well aware he worked for the Council…The first truly brilliant decision he takes is …to realize that behaving as a [European] foreign minister... will not work… He maneuvered using that sixth sense of his without ever crossing a member state’s red line.

ANGEL.SAZ@ESADE.EDUTHANKS!

February 2016Webinar 3

Network Leadership Webinar Series

Today’s Presenter: Angel Saz-CarranzaToday’s Presenter: Angel Saz-Carranza