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Managing Inter-organizational Networks: Governance and Practices Between Path Dependence and Uncertainty

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Networked Governance

Abstract

Inter-organizational networks represent social systems with a more or less polycentric character. Such systems are in need of an adeqaute form of governance as well as network management practices that either reproduce, adapt or even transform the specific network governance form. Two contrasting concepts, path dependence and uncertainty, will be introduced as extreme points between which much of network management takes place in reality. The chapter will conclude with a summary that places network management as ‘reflexive structuration’ between necessity and impossibility—and raises questions that should be addressed by future research on network governance and practices.

Formerly published as “Netzwerksteuerung als Systemsteuerung: Managementpraktiken zwischen Pfadabhängigkeit und Unsicherheit”. In Eberl, P., Geiger, D., & Koch, J. (eds.): Komplexität und Handlungsspielraum (pp. 267–283). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag. Reprinted with the permission of Erich Schmidt Verlag and translated with the aid of the German Federal Office of Languages (Bundessprachenamt). The author thanks both institutions for their generous support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, School of Business and Economics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Jörg Sydow

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  1. Jörg Sydow
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Correspondence to Jörg Sydow .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. SOCIUM—Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Betina Hollstein

  2. Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences IPA Institute for Employment Relations and Labour, Helmut-Schmidt-University—University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Wenzel Matiaske

  3. Political Science Department, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Kai-Uwe Schnapp

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Sydow, J. (2017). Managing Inter-organizational Networks: Governance and Practices Between Path Dependence and Uncertainty. In: Hollstein, B., Matiaske, W., Schnapp, KU. (eds) Networked Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50386-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50386-8_3

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