Analyzing Policy Networks Using Valued Exponential Random Graph Models: Do Government-Sponsored Collaborative Groups...

Area of Science:

• Public Policy
• Network Analysis
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Governments utilize collaborative groups to enhance policy network coordination.
• The actual impact of these groups on network-wide coordination remains unclear.
• Existing research often overlooks the interplay between multiple collaborative groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of collaborative management groups on policy network coordination.
• To investigate how participation in collaborative groups influences inter-organizational relationships.
• To contribute a methodological advancement in policy network analysis.

Main Methods:

• Employed valued exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to analyze relationships of varying strength.
• Modeled a regional network comprising 57 collaborative groups and numerous organizations.
• Utilized valued ERGMs, an extension of standard ERGMs for non-binary ties, offering a methodological contribution.

Main Results:

• Participation in collaborative groups was found to motivate coordination and cooperation among organizations.
• The positive effect on coordination was most pronounced for organizations new to collaborative groups.
• Organizations without pre-existing ties benefited most from participation in terms of coordination.

Conclusions:

• Government-sponsored collaborative groups can effectively enhance policy network coordination.
• Findings align with a transaction-cost perspective on inter-organizational cooperation.
• The study provides empirical support for the Ecology of Games, demonstrating interactive effects of multiple institutions.