The evolution of structural embeddedness and organizational social outcomes in a centrally governed health and human services network

Abstract

This research examines the effects, over time, of network embeddedness, on three organizationally based social outcomes. We argue that in a centralized, publicly funded but mixed sector health and human services network, an organization's structural embeddedness in the network, as measured by its centrality, will be related to its trustworthiness, reputation, and influence, as rated by other network members, and that this relationship will strengthen over time as the system matures. We also examine how service performance is related to network evolution.