Shaping the Evolution of the Information Flow: The Centralizing Mechanisms in the Evolution of the North American Tobacco Quitline Consortium

Robin H. Lemaire*, Keith G. Provan, Liesbeth Mercken, Scott J. Leischow

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The research reported here is an analysis of the evolution of the relationships that comprise a single public health network, focusing especially on the position of the network administrative organization (Provan and Kenis 2008) in the flow of knowledge among a large number of organizations providing similar services. Our study examines the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC), a multi-sector network that spans the US and Canada and whose members provide telephone-based tobacco cessation services to anyone interested in quitting smoking. Data were collected using web-based surveys at three different points of time. Implications are discussed for network organizing, for both theory and practice, focusing especially on the importance of the network administrative organization in shaping the evolution of the whole network information flow.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)467-488
Number of pages22
JournalInternational Public Management Journal
Volume20
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • INTERORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS
  • ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORKS
  • DYNAMICS
  • COLLABORATION
  • IMPLEMENTATION
  • GOVERNANCE
  • PREVENTION
  • ADOPTION
  • OUTCOMES
  • SYSTEMS

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