Collective impact and common goals: Planned vs. emergent networks as tools for leveraging community outcomes
Abstract
The goal of this research is to study both planned networks (a formalized and structured approach to interorganizational collaboration in which partners share common goals and a common approach) and emergent networks (self-organized networks operating with participant-led, shared governance) as strategies for improving education in a matched community comparison. This research will 1) examine differences in the structures of planned and emergent interorganizational networks, 2) determine how planned and emergent networks inform the diffusion of information across a community, and 3) explore the influence of planned and emergent networks on organizational, network, and community-level outcomes, including whether planned networks result in different community outcomes than emergent networks. This research will study network forms of organizing cross-sector initiatives for achieving community level, K-12 education objectives via collective impact initiatives as planned networks and self-organizing initiatives as emergent networks. Such initiatives are popular in education, where representatives from local schools, nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, philanthropists, and stakeholders from the community at large partner to improve kindergarten readiness, high school graduation rates, and other milestones along a Òcradle to careerÓ trajectory. To assess the similarities and differences in reaching educational milestones and goals between these two forms of organizing, this research will be conducted with a matched community comparison comprised of 15 pairs, half of which have a planned network as expressed through a collective impact model, and half of which rely upon emergent networks. Data will be collected through interviews, surveys, and public records of performance at multiple time points.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 11, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1610464
Entities
People
- Michelle Shumate
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Northwestern University
- United States Army