IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i18p10292-d635847.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modular Interorganizational Network Governance: A Conceptual Framework for Addressing Complex Social Problems

Author

Listed:
  • Srivardhini K. Jha

    (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Entrepreneurship Area, F202, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560076, India)

  • E. Richard Gold

    (Faculty of Law, McGill University, 3644 Peel Street, Room 408, Montreal, QC H3A 1W9, Canada)

  • Laurette Dubé

    (McGill Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics, McGill University, 3430 McTavish St., Montréal, QC H3A 1X9, Canada)

Abstract

We develop a conceptual governance framework to guide creating and managing a modular interorganizational network to address complex social problems. Drawing on theoretical foundations in modularity and interorganizational networks, we propose that modularizing complex social problems is a dialectic, emergent process that blends a convener-led network formation with a consultative problem definition and solution design. We also posit that social systems are imperfectly modular and need purposefully designed interface governance to integrate the modules. Finally, we advance how leveraging modularity may simultaneously advance the interests of participating actors and deliver societal value. Together, the propositions advance a governance framework for a modular, multi-actor adaptive system suited to tackle the scale, diversity, and dynamics of complex social problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Srivardhini K. Jha & E. Richard Gold & Laurette Dubé, 2021. "Modular Interorganizational Network Governance: A Conceptual Framework for Addressing Complex Social Problems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10292-:d:635847
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10292/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10292/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Raghu Garud & Arun Kumaraswamy, 1995. "Technological and organizational designs for realizing economies of substitution," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(S1), pages 93-109.
    2. Amelia Clarke & Mark Fuller, 2010. "Collaborative Strategic Management: Strategy Formulation and Implementation by Multi-Organizational Cross-Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 85-101, July.
    3. David Tilson & Kalle Lyytinen & Carsten Sørensen, 2010. "Research Commentary ---Digital Infrastructures: The Missing IS Research Agenda," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 748-759, December.
    4. Nigel D. Caldwell & Jens K. Roehrich & Gerard George, 2017. "Social Value Creation and Relational Coordination in Public-Private Collaborations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(6), pages 906-928, September.
    5. Laurette Dubé & Srivardhini Jha & Aida Faber & Jeroen Struben & Ted London & Archisman Mohapatra & Nick Drager & Chris Lannon & P. K. Joshi & John Mcdermott, 2014. "Convergent innovation for sustainable economic growth and affordable universal healthcare : Innovating the way we innovate," Post-Print hal-02312276, HAL.
    6. Mina Fanea-Ivanovici & Radu-Cristian Muşetescu & Marius-Cristian Pană & Cristina Voicu, 2019. "Fighting Corruption and Enhancing Tax Compliance through Digitization: Achieving Sustainable Development in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, March.
    7. Richard N. Langlois, 2002. "Modularity in Technology and Organization," Chapters, in: Nicolai J. Foss & Peter G. Klein (ed.), Entrepreneurship and the Firm, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Måns Nilsson & Dave Griggs & Martin Visbeck, 2016. "Policy: Map the interactions between Sustainable Development Goals," Nature, Nature, vol. 534(7607), pages 320-322, June.
    9. Brandon H. Lee & Jeroen Struben & Christopher B. Bingham, 2018. "Collective action and market formation: An integrative framework," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 242-266, January.
    10. Agata Austen, 2018. "In Search of Network Sustainability: A Multi-Level Perspective on the Paradox of Cooperation and Competition in Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, July.
    11. Brandon H. Lee & Jeroen Struben & Christopher B. Bingham, 2018. "Collective Action and Market Formation : An Integrative Framework," Post-Print hal-02312054, HAL.
    12. Stadtler, Lea & Probst, Gilbert, 2012. "How broker organizations can facilitate public–private partnerships for development," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 32-46.
    13. James Austin, 2010. "From Organization to Organization: On Creating Value," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 13-15, July.
    14. Ilze Kivleniece & Bertrand Quélin, 2012. "Creating and Capturing Value in Public-Private Ties: A Private Actor's Perspective," Post-Print hal-00677772, HAL.
    15. Nii A. Addy & Laurette Dubé, 2018. "Addressing Complex Societal Problems: Enabling Multiple Dimensions of Proximity to Sustain Partnerships for Collective Impact in Quebec," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-28, March.
    16. John Selsky & Barbara Parker, 2010. "Platforms for Cross-Sector Social Partnerships: Prospective Sensemaking Devices for Social Benefit," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 21-37, July.
    17. Manning, Stephan & Reinecke, Juliane, 2016. "A modular governance architecture in-the-making: How transnational standard-setters govern sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 618-633.
    18. Carliss Y. Baldwin & Kim B. Clark, 2000. "Design Rules, Volume 1: The Power of Modularity," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262024667, December.
    19. Domenico Dentoni & Verena Bitzer & Greetje Schouten, 2018. "Harnessing Wicked Problems in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 333-356, June.
    20. David Tschirley & Thomas Reardon & Michael Dolislager & Jason Snyder, 2015. "The Rise of a Middle Class in East and Southern Africa: Implications for Food System Transformation," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(5), pages 628-646, July.
    21. Jeroen Struben & Brandon H. Lee, 2018. "Collective Action, Networks, and Critical Mass for Market Formation," Post-Print hal-02312207, HAL.
    22. Ted London & Stuart L Hart, 2004. "Reinventing strategies for emerging markets: beyond the transnational model," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 350-370, September.
    23. F. A. Hayek, 2005. "The Use of Knowledge in Society," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Guang-Zhen Sun (ed.), Readings In The Economics Of The Division Of Labor The Classical Tradition, chapter 25, pages 270-284, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    24. London, Ted & Anupindi, Ravi & Sheth, Sateen, 2010. "Creating mutual value: Lessons learned from ventures serving base of the pyramid producers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 582-594, June.
    25. Ali Kharrazi & Brian D. Fath & Harald Katzmair, 2016. "Advancing Empirical Approaches to the Concept of Resilience: A Critical Examination of Panarchy, Ecological Information, and Statistical Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-17, September.
    26. Charles F. Sabel & David G. Victor, 2017. "Governing global problems under uncertainty: making bottom-up climate policy work," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 144(1), pages 15-27, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jan Frederic Nerbel & Markus Kreutzer, 2023. "Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Christiana Weber & Helen Haugh & Markus Göbel & Hannes Leonardy, 2022. "Pathways to Lasting Cross-Sector Social Collaboration: A Configurational Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 613-639, May.
    3. Jennifer Brenton & Natalie Slawinski, 2023. "Collaborating for Community Regeneration: Facilitating Partnerships in, Through, and for Place," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(4), pages 815-834, May.
    4. Stephan Manning & Daniel Roessler, 2014. "The Formation of Cross-Sector Development Partnerships: How Bridging Agents Shape Project Agendas and Longer-Term Alliances," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(3), pages 527-547, September.
    5. Chimenti, Gianluca & Hagberg, Johan & Araujo, Luis, 2025. "Platforms, infrastructures and the Futures of market society," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. Krzeminska, Anna & Lundmark, Erik & Härtel, Charmine E.J., 2021. "Legitimation of a heterogeneous market category through covert prototype differentiation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(2).
    7. Watson, Rosina & Wilson, Hugh N. & Macdonald, Emma K., 2020. "Business-nonprofit engagement in sustainability-oriented innovation: What works for whom and why?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 87-98.
    8. Suvi Nenonen & Kaj Storbacka & Charlotta Windahl, 2019. "Capabilities for market-shaping: triggering and facilitating increased value creation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 617-639, July.
    9. Nicholas Burton & Peter Galvin, 2020. "Component complementarity and transaction costs: the evolution of product design," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 845-867, August.
    10. Yong Li & Jing Li & Peng Zhang & Sunhwan Gwon, 2023. "Stronger together: Country‐of‐origin agglomeration and multinational enterprise location choice in an adverse institutional environment," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 1053-1083, April.
    11. Alexander Flaig & Daniel Kindström & Mikael Ottosson, 2021. "Market-shaping phases—a qualitative meta-analysis and conceptual framework," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 11(3), pages 354-374, December.
    12. Breidbach, Christoph F. & Tana, Silviana, 2021. "Betting on Bitcoin: How social collectives shape cryptocurrency markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 311-320.
    13. Roberto Gutiérrez & Patricia Márquez & Ezequiel Reficco, 2016. "Configuration and Development of Alliance Portfolios: A Comparison of Same-Sector and Cross-Sector Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 55-69, April.
    14. Enrico Forti & Serena Morricone & Federico Munari, 2021. "Litigation risks and firms innovation dynamics after the IPO," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 48(2), pages 291-313, June.
    15. Luis Araujo & Katy Mason, 2021. "Markets, infrastructures and infrastructuring markets," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 11(3), pages 240-251, December.
    16. Margo P. M. Enthoven & Hendrik N. Thelken, 2023. "Activists' and social entrepreneurs' approaches towards consumer culture: Providing a protective space for sustainability transitions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 991-1004, February.
    17. Jeroen Struben & Brandon H. Lee & Christopher B. Bingham, 2020. "Collective Action Problems and Resource Allocation During Market Formation," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(3), pages 245-270, September.
    18. Jeroen Struben & Brandon H. Lee & Christopher B. Bingham, 2020. "Collective Action Problems and Resource Allocation During Market Formation," Post-Print hal-02927584, HAL.
    19. Félicia Saïah & Diego Vega & Harwin de Vries & Joakim Kembro, 2023. "Process modularity, supply chain responsiveness, and moderators: The Médecins Sans Frontières response to the Covid‐19 pandemic," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(5), pages 1490-1511, May.
    20. Dharmani, Pranav & Das, Satyasiba & Prashar, Sanjeev, 2021. "A bibliometric analysis of creative industries: Current trends and future directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 252-267.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10292-:d:635847. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.