Does Leadership in Networks Matter?

Abstract

The empirical literature in public management only occasionally speaks to leadership in networks as a possible determinant of network effectiveness. This paper attempts to address this research gap by empirically examining leadership behaviors exhibited by public managers in their external network and the degree to which such behavior contributes to how well the network meets the needs of the manager's jurisdiction. Using a sample of more than 500 network leaders, the findings demonstrate that different types of leadership do play an important role in network effectiveness within the context of a highly collaborative field, that of local emergency management.