Networks in Public Administration: Current scholarship in review

Abstract

Network-focused research in public administration has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. This rapid growth has created come confusion about terminology and approaches to research in the field. We organize the network literature in public administration using compact citation networks to identify coherent subdomains focused on (1) policy formation, (2) governance and (3) policy implementation. We trace how these domains differ in their approach to defining the role of networks, relationships and actors and to what extent the articles apply formal network analysis techniques. Based on a subsequent content analysis of the sample articles, we identify promising research avenues focused on the wider adoption of methods derived from social network analysis and the conditions under which networks actually deliver improved results.

Key words:

• Network research in public administration
• policy networks
• citation analysis
• snowball sampling
• governance

Notes

Data was collected for the study using a custom program written by the first author and is used in the R statistical environment. For a full description of the methodology and accompanying software, see Lecy and Beatty (2012).

Berry et al. did not separate public management networks into collaborative management and governance networks as Isett et al. did, but they also suggested methodology as a potential third cluster of research, although there is no evidence of a methodology school emerging in PA.

Isett et al. define policy networks as ‘collections of public agencies, legislative offices, and private sector organizations (including interest groups, nonprofits, etc.) that have an interest in public decisions within a particular area of policy’ (2011: i158).