1st Edition
Saving Societies From Within Innovation and Equity Through Inter-Organizational Networks
Moving beyond existing models from economics and political science, this book shows how crises in capitalism and democracy can be solved with Systemic coordinated inter-organizational networks.
It offers a new model of societal coordination that builds cooperation and trust while solving today’s modern and complex practical problems: Systemic coordinated inter-organizational networks (SCIONs). It details how SCIONs can quickly catalyze organizational change among interorganizational network members while providing a general framework for characterizing individual and organizational change. The chapters apply these theoretical ideas in an epic case study of the rebuilding of the health care system in rural Nicaragua after a major natural disaster (Hurricane Mitch). They provide lessons for public health program managers while contributing to the literatures on modes of coordination and on social capital.
The book is a vital text for upper-division courses on management, inter-organizational collaboration, crisis management and public health.
1. The Theory of Systemic Coordinated Inter-Organizational Networks for Radical Innovation and Social Equality
The Differences Between Three Coordination Modes for Society: Market Competition, Political Elections and Systemic Coordinated Inter-Organizational Networks
A Framework for Describing the Diversity of Organizational Strategies and Tactics for Changing Human Behavior and Knowledge
Kinds of Radical Organizational and Institutional Change: Learning, Innovation and Adaptiveness
Conclusion: Action Theory
2. A Case Study of a SCION for Social Equality: An Action Theory Model to Improve Safe Motherhood and Child Survival in Developing Countries With Natural Disasters
Action Theory: The NicaSalud Model
Public Health in Nicaragua
The Distinctive Tragedy of Hurricane Mitch
Methodology: Mixed-Method Research Design for Evaluating an Inter-organizational Network and its NCO
Conclusion: How Data from this Study Can Be Generalized
3. The Origin of NicaSalud, A Network Coordinating Organization, Or How to Form a NGO
SCION, a Systemic Coordinated Inter-Organizational Network
The Origin Problem: The Choice of the NCO Model and an Inter-organizational Network
Phase One: Creating NicaSalud, the NCO, and Its Initial Inter-Organizational Network
Phase Two: The Expansion of the NicaSalud NGO Network
Phase Three: Coordination by NicaSalud in the Inter-organizational Network
The Benefits of NicaSalud, the NCO, for the NGO Network
Conclusions: The Model for Managers and for Coordination Theory
4. Increasing Social Equality and Access to Safe Motherhood Services: Changing Health Behaviors and Knowledge to Improve Safe Motherhood
Standardizing the Initial Interventions
The Amount of Change in Individual Behavior: The Impact on Safe Motherhood
The Amount of Change in Individual Knowledge: The Impact on Awareness of Danger Signs
Conclusions: Lessons for Managers and for Social Science Theory
5. Increasing Social Equality and Access to Child Survival Services: Changing Health Behaviors and Knowledge to Improve Child Survival
The Variety of Programs for Children
The Amount of Change in Individual Behavior and Knowledge: The Impact on Child Survival
Conclusions: Lessons for Managers and for Social Science Theory
6. SCION Effectiveness, Part One: Social Equality—In Safe Motherhood and Child Survival—and Radical Organizational Change—Learning, Innovation and Adaptiveness
Social Equality: Changes in Mother’s Behavior and Knowledge
Radical Organizational Change: Learning, Innovation and Adaptiveness
Examples of Strategic and Tactical Change
Sources of Organizational Adaptiveness
The Impact of Organizational Adaptiveness on Health Behavior and Knowledge Change
Conclusions: Lessons for Managers and for Social Science Theory
7. SCION Effectiveness—Part Two: Institutional Innovation—Rebuilding and Strengthening Health Care Systems, Differentiating Regional Sub-Networks, and Institutionalizing NicaSalud
Strengthening the Health Care System
Differentiation of Regional Sub-Networks and Cooperative Behavior
The Institutionalization of NicaSalud: Signs of Stability
Conclusions: Lessons for Managers and Social Science Theory
8. Action Theory Revisited: Managerial and Stakeholder Recommendations and Theoretical Insights About SCIONs for Social Scientists
Recommendations for Major Stakeholders and Managers
Theoretical Insights for Social Scientists
Concluding Remarks
Biography
Jerald Hage is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park, USA. He has spent his professional life attempting to solve major problems with theory and applied research to test that theory, starting with the study of organizational innovation.
Joseph J. Valadez is Professor of Global Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. He is a community epidemiologist who has worked in more than 50 lower- and middle-income countries, including Kenya and Nicaragua.
Wilbur C. Hadden is Research Scientist at the Center for Innovation, Department of Sociology, University of Maryland at College Park, USA. His general interest is in the advancement of population health and more specifically in social inequalities and social determinants of health.
"Saving Societies From Within addresses an important issue and does this in an understandable, well-argued way. It nicely positions the coordination of action – on the individual and organizational level of analysis – with the help of interorganizational networks between economic and political approaches to coordination."
Jörg Sydow, Professor of Management, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
"The book offers an innovative approach to understanding the importance of interorganizational coordination. The introductory chapter is valuable and insightful. It explains the central theoretical approach in comparison with other approaches. Then, it shows main building blocks of the interorganizational coordination approach. The review of the literature is detailed and important."
Amalya L. Oliver, George S. Wise Chair in Sociology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
