Managing Networks Of Twenty First Century Organisations

The book presents a novel theory of how networks of organizations work, what varieties are possible and how their strengths and weaknesses differ. The argument is illustrated using four case studies in which networks of firms and organizations in defence contracting, biotechnology, health care and combating crime and disorder are examined. The book will be of major interest to scholars and students of business and management, public management, public policy, organizational sociology and to practising managers.

How to invent the future of business organization.

The Age of the Network offers leaders, managers, and teams a new, practical view of how to think about their companies and reinvent them without losing the value and knowledge that's embedded in their current organization. The Age of the Network delivers a rich array of advice and insights for starting the vital process of creating a networked enterprise. Lipnack and Stamps show managers how to focus on five essential team net (networks of teams) principles which include establishing a clear purpose and creating communication links. Next, they offer a guided tour describing how organizations can turn these principles into practice and evaluate their real potential for creating a networked organization.

The first book demonstrating how to apply the principles of social network analysis to managing complex projects This groundbreaking book gets project managers and students up to speed on state-of-the-art applications of social network analysis (SNA) for observing, analysing, and managing complex projects. Written by an expert at the leading edge of the SNA project management movement, it clearly demonstrates how the principles of social network analysis can be used to provide a smarter, more efficient, holistic approach to managing complex projects. Project managers, especially those tasked with managing large, complex construction and engineering projects, traditionally have relied upon analysis and decision-making based upon hierarchical structures and vaguely defined project systems, much of which is borrowed from historic scientific management approaches. However, it has become apparent that a more sophisticated methodology is required for observing project systems and managing relationships with today’s more knowledgeable and demanding clients. Social network analysis (SNA) provides just such an approach. Unfortunately, existing books on social network analysis are written primarily for sociologists and mathematicians, with little or no regard for the needs of project managers — until now. The first and only book of its kind, Managing Networks in Project-Based Organisations: Offers a framework and a fully-developed approach to applying SNA theory and methodologies to large, complex projects Describes highly effective strategies and techniques for managing the iterative and transient relationships between network-defining actor roles involved in the delivery of complex projects Uses numerous real-world examples and case studies of successful applications of SNA to large-scale construction and engineering projects around the world Draws on its author’s decades of experience managing complex projects for demanding clients, as well as his extensive academic research in Project Management Managing Networks in Project-Based Organisations is an important working resource for project management professionals and consultants, especially those serving the construction and engineering industries. It is also an excellent text/reference for postgraduate students of project management and supply chain management, as well as academic researchers of project management.

This book analyzes the challenges facing public service media management in the face of ongoing technological developments and changing audience behaviors. It connects models, strategies, concepts, and managerial theories with emerging approaches to public media practices through an examination of media services (e.g. blogs, social networks, search engines, content aggregators) and the online performance of traditional public media organizations. Contributors identify the most relevant and useful approaches, those likely to encourage creativity, interaction, and the development of innovative content and services, and discuss how such innovation can underpin the continuation or expansion of public service media in the changing mediascape.

Networks have become a prominent template for public service governance. Often seen as an alternative to hierarchies and contracts, networks cross institutionalized organizational or sectoral boundaries to promote collaboration and the sharing of resources when addressing complex problems. Nowhere is this more the case than in the field of health services modernization and improvement. Comprising unique empirical contributions, drawn primarily from the experience of the UK National Health Service (NHS), this edited collection develops a ‘decentred’ analysis of health and care networks. Contributors look beyond particular structures or patterns of governance and focus instead on the interpretation of the meaningful practices of policy actors as they encounter and enact policy instruments and structures. The approach offers a distinct form of analysis that deepens and enriches more traditional public policy accounts of network governance. It recognizes the influence of local history, highlights the influence of dominant economic, technical and corporate narratives, and acknowledges the continued influence of biomedical knowledge and professional expertise. Offering practical insight for current and future service leaders about the challenges of implementing, managing and working within networks, this book draws out key messages for practitioners and researchers alike.

In the last thirty years, China has experienced rapid economic development and urbanisation which has resulted in high levels of environmental degradation and has put considerable pressure on the country’s infrastructure and natural resources. As China commits to considerably lower the carbon intensity of its economy, this volume analyses and explains the governance of climate change mitigation responses in major Chinese cities. The book focuses specifically on two highly carbon intensive sectors, buildings and transport, in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong to explore how collaborative municipal networks function in practice in Chinese cities. The authors find that effective coordination relies on the political will of local administrative elites, the political significance attached to climate change issues, the legitimate authority granted to the coordinating agency, and human and financial capitals. Collaboration is hampered by limited span of network engagement, inadequate authority of the primary network participants, insufficient input and output legitimacy of the sectoral innovations, and missing linkages across functionally segregated sectors. The book concludes that the enhanced collaboration and coordination between networks that has emerged in the process of low carbon transitions is transforming the Chinese environmental state into a more pluralistic, inclusive and legitimate one. This book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners across disciplines including Chinese studies, environmental politics and policy, urban studies, and planning and geography.

If you are looking for a succinct overview of the ideas and debates that shape the field of interagency working, then this is the book for you. Jon Glasby and Helen Dickinson's A-Z of Interagency Working provides an expertly organised source of clear explanation and astute commentary on a topic that is of importance to anyone working in the health and social care field today. Capturing key policies, concepts and perspectives across the fields of adult and children's services, the book distils a complex subject into 70 pivotal ideas. Cross-references cleverly aid navigation and help the reader see how ideas connect up. This flexible source book makes sense of current policy, explains the latest terminology and engages with the evidence base for what is happening on the ground. It is also packed with excellent recommendations for further reading. This is an ideal starting-point for students needing to get to grips with current debates, and a perfect point of reference for practitioners and policy-makers engaged in collaboration and partnership day to day.