Social-agency-embedded Forms of Collective-value Production: Network Modes of Organizing

Abstract

Collective-value production theory is combined with trust theory and the theory of social exchange to explain why network organizations evolve and how they differ in terms of driving forces and key characteristics. The examples are based on field material collected in an egalitarian and team-oriented Scandinavian context. The ability to connect to strategically important clusters of networks is a critical managerial skill. Managers must recognize that the relationships between the different actors in a network are multiplex and dynamic. From a managerial point of view, this also calls for other skills than traditional administrative and managerial skills, e.g. social skills.