Managing Networks: Propositions on What Managers Do and Why They Do It

TLDR

Measuring management in networks is difficult because managerial resource allocation is fluid, causing management behaviors to vary across time and space within a program or project. The authors propose a contingency‑logic–based research agenda that identifies a broad inventory of network management behaviors and seeks to determine how managers strategically match these behaviors to governing contexts, reallocating resources over time and space to maximize effectiveness. They suggest using contingency‑logic propositions to test when, why, and how network managers employ specific behaviors.

Abstract

Measuring management in networks is difficult because the allocation of managerial resources in network structures is fluid—that is, the utilization of management behaviors varies across time and space within a given program or project. As a means of focusing the network management research agenda, propositions based in contingency logic are suggested to test ideas regarding when, why, and how network managers undertake these behaviors. The propositions are intended to identify the vast inventory of network management behaviors and, most importantly, determine how the manager strategically matches behaviors with the governing context. Suggestions are also offered to help us understand how and why managerial resources are re allocated over time and space. The proposed research agenda is offered as a guide to help us determine which choices are most likely to be effective.