The external networking behaviour of public managers - the missing link of weak ties

ABSTRACT

There has been an increasing focus on managerial external networking behaviour within public administration. While most previous quantitative research has analysed such behaviour one dimensionally, we suggest a two-dimensional conceptualization based on the concepts of weak and strong ties. Utilizing measures resembling previous research, we explore the utility of the approach in an exploratory study of Danish local government. Our findings suggest that the two dimensions of external networking behaviour are distinct. We discuss our approach compared to previous approaches and argue that a conceptualization based on the distinction between strong and weak ties provides a promising framework for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Managerial networking
• weak ties
• innovation
• managerial behaviour
• organizational learning

Acknowledgement

The article has benefitted from comments from the editor and three anonymous editors. Earlier drafts of the article where presented at and benefitted from comments from participants at the Academy of Management Conference, 2013 in Orlando, Florida and at a seminar at the Center for Organization, Management and Administration (COMA), 2016 at Aalborg University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Morten Balle Hansen

Morten Balle Hansen is professor in Public Administration and Management at the Department of Political Science and at COMA (Center for Organization, Management and Administration) at Aalborg University.

Anders R. Villadsen

Anders R. Villadsen is a professor at the Department of Management at Aarhus University. His research interests includes public management and employee diversity in public sector organizations.