Assesing Interorganizational Networks for Public Service Delivery: A Process-Perceived Effectiveness Framework

Abstract

Cross-sectoral partnerships among public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations are increasingly gaining prominence in the production and delivery of publicly funded social services. This paper introduces a process-outcome framework to assess the interorganizational networks for delivering family and children services in Los Angeles County. Five collaboration processes of joint decision making, joint program operation, reducing organizational autonomy, sharing resources and building trust as independent variables were used to assess their impacts on five collaboration outcomes—goal achievement, quality of working relationships, broadening partners' views, increasing partner interactions, and equitable influences. The findings suggest that public and nonprofit managers should pay special attention to improve the two processes—resource sharing and trust building—that promote well-functioning interorganizational networks.