Inter-Organizational Networks: A Review of the Literature to Inform Practice

This report examines the literature on interorganizational networks that has evolved over the past decade, which has been written from the perspective of a wide range of academic disciplines, such as sociology, business management, public administration, and political science. 

The authors seek to distill key concepts and trends from the literature in order to help busy government readers make sense of what is out there, and where they might most fruitfully spend their time when they find a need for a “deeper dive.”  This includes an exploration of the types and structures of networks, their governance and leadership, their evolution over time, and how they are evaluated for effectiveness.