Transforming Input Into Output: How Downward Networking Mediates the Effect of External Networking on Organizational Performance

Figures & data

Figure 1. An organization’s technical flows

Figure 2. Conceptual model: how managerial networking facilitates the educational production function.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics and correlations for all variables in the analysis (n = 547).

	Variable	M	SD	Min	Max	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	Cito test scores	535.346	4.091	518.10	545.00	1.000
2	Downward networking	2.403	0.553	0.80	4.20	0.072*	1.000
3	Outward networking—national government	2.445	0.601	1.00	4.50	0.008	0.233*	1.000
4	Outward networking—local government	2.125	0.717	1.00	4.67	−0.013	0.188*	0.258*	1.000
5	Outward networking—interest groups	1.924	0.774	1.00	4.67	−.003	0.136*	0.484*	0.253*	1.000
6	Upward networking	3.794	1.348	1.00	6.00	0.014	0.189*	0.138*	0.196*	0.171*	1.000
7	Sideward networking	4.052	0.674	1.33	6.00	−0.061*	0.229*	0.120*	0.159*	0.052*	0.083*	1.000
8	Work engagement	4.243	0.862	1.44	6.00	0.030*	0.017	0.018	0.072*	0.132*	0.084*	0.075*	1.000
9	Work experience	7.967	8.147	0.00	40.50	0.093*	0.018	0.030*	0.100*	−0.049*	−0.044*	0.023	−0.087*	1.000
10	% Disadvantaged pupils	13.647	14.500	0.00	78.31	−0.612*	−0.068*	−0.044*	0.066*	−0.070*	0.046*	0.033*	0.058*	−0.090*	1.000
11	Denomination (nondenominational = 1)	0.287	0.453	0.00	1.00	−0.149*	0.054*	−0.008	0.079*	−0.131*	−0.057*	0.210*	−0.045*	0.010	0.134*	1.000
12	Number of school boards	16.005	12.780	1.00	64.00	−0.154*	0.025	−0.042*	−0.008	−0.095*	0.127*	0.210*	0.103*	−0.032*	0.178*	0.133*	1.000
13	Lagged Cito test scores	535.021	4.403	519.30	545.40	0.621*	−0.013	0.017	−0.056*	0.020	−0.076*	−0.078*	0.005	0.066*	−0.502*	−0.146*	−0.122*

Note: *p < 0.05.

Table 2. Mediation model of Cito test scores: direct effects (unstandardized and standardized coefficients; n = 547).

	b	SE	beta
Dep. Var. = Cito test scores
Downward networking	0.350+	0.209	0.047
Outward networking—national government	−0.072	0.216	−0.010
Outward networking—local government	0.179	0.166	0.031
Outward networking—interest groups	−0.344+	0.186	−0.064
Upward networking	0.175+	0.094	0.057
Sideward networking	−0.120	0.165	−0.019
Work engagement	0.245+	0.133	0.051
Work experience	0.013	0.014	0.025
% Disadvantaged pupils	−0.097***	0.010	−0.348
Denomination (nondenominational = 1)	−0.297	0.248	−0.032
Number of school boards	−0.013	0.009	−0.041
Lagged Cito test scores	0.349***	0.032	0.371
Year = 2010	0.526**	0.164	0.064
Constant	535.013***	0.152	130.162
Dep. Var. = Downward networking
Outward networking—national government	0.152**	0.046	0.166
Outward networking—local government	0.071*	0.032	0.094
Outward networking—interest groups	−0.003	0.034	−0.005
Upward networking	0.056**	0.017	0.137
Sideward networking	0.150***	0.037	0.182
Work engagement	−0.005	0.026	−0.008
Work experience	−0.000	0.003	−0.005
% Disadvantaged pupils	−0.003*	0.002	−0.096
Denomination (nondenominational = 1)	0.033	0.053	0.028
Number of school boards	−0.000	0.002	−0.014
Lagged Cito test scores	−0.004	0.006	−0.032
Year = 2010	0.000	0.002	0.000
Constant	−0.001	0.026	−0.002
e.Cito test scores			0.587
e.team involvement			0.869

Notes: Errors are allowed to be correlated within clusters (schools).

+p < 0.10.

*p < 0.05.

**p < 0.01.

***p < 0.001.

Table 3. Bootstrapping indirect effects of managerial networking on Cito test scores via team involvement (n = 547).

	B	Bootstrap SE	LL BCA	UL BCA
Outward networking—national government	0.053	0.038	0.001	0.125
Outward networking—local government	0.025	0.021	−0.0007	0.064
Outward networking—interest groups	−0.001	0.014	−0.028	0.020
Upward networking	0.020	0.014	0.0003	0.046
Sideward networking	0.052	0.035	0.0004	0.116

Notes: n = 5,000 bootstrapping resamples; LL BCA and UL BCA = lower level and upper level of the bias corrected and accelerated confidence interval for α = 0.10; all equations control for work engagement, work experience, percentage of disadvantaged pupils, denomination, number of schools per board, lagged Cito test scores, and year; errors are allowed to be correlated within clusters (schools).

Homogeneity of Mokken-scales (Loevinger’s H_i coefficients for the scale and H_ij coefficients for each item).

Downward networking	(Hi = .40)
Scheduling and other practicalities	.31
School identity and external communication	.37
School housing and maintenance	.38
Financial affairs	.41
Personnel and employment policy	.40
External relations	.41
Educational quality	.40
Quality of education	.45
Pupil results and performance monitoring	.44
Pupil care	.44
Outward networking – national government	(Hi = .46)
Inspectorate of Education	.35
Test suppliers	.41
Education Executive Agency (DUO)	.52
Ministry of Education	.52
Outward networking – local government	(Hi = .51)
Municipal department of education	.47
Members of City Council	.50
Aldermen	.57
Outward networking – interest groups	(Hi = .42)
Primary Education Council	.40
Labor unions	.41
Employer organizations	.45
Sideward networking	(Hi = .38)
Principals same board	.33
Participatory council	.40
Parent committee	.40