Intergovernmental management in interorganizational networks: a revised perspective

Abstract

The concept of intergovernmental management is distinguished from the concept of intergovernmental relations by three characteristics: (1) a problem solving focus; (2) strategic and coping behavior; and (3) communication networks. These characteristics of intergovernmental management are important because they allow us to do more than describe the relationships that occur within the intergovernmental system. Instead they provide a framework for dealing with the problems of managing within the intergovernmental system. A recent stream of literature focuses on relations in the intergovernmental system as occurring in interorganizational networks. Rather than managing based on the perspective of an independent organizational entity, management is based on the perspective of a system of interdependent organiza tional entities. Separate and distinct actions of individual managers, in and of themselves, are no longer sufficient in this setting. Instead individual and network actions must be meshed in order to achieve a purposive whole. By understanding the impact of the interorganizational network, the concept of intergovernmental management is greatly expanded, leading to the development of more appropriate managerial techniques in the intergovernmental system.