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On 4/24/06, C.J.D. Havermans <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Currently I conduct research for a Dutch governmental network-organization
> that connects all municipalities into one foundation; the VNG. The bottom
> line is to look for motivations and reasons why municipalities do not
> cooperate. More specific, there is a number of comprehensive articles,
> papers, and research that outlines the motives and reasons for
> inter-organizational cooperation or why one organization should build an
> inter-organizational network. Yet, our research is focusing on reasons and
> motivations why (public) organizations still decline partnerships and
> inter-organizational cooperation in a nowadays growing network- and
> information society. Moreover, because there a many proven concepts, cases
> and best practices of inter-organizational cooperation and network
> organizations.
>
> Therefore I would like to ask all of you to cooperate with us in this online
> brainstorming session in order to answer the question:

Well, on the brainstorming side:

+The most straightforward way to find out why is to go and ask, I suppose.
+You should remember that when people get political they often get
shortsighted and petty (which is the intuitive reason for why
communities would refuse to work together), but certainly go forth
with your research to look up other reasons
+You'll want to look into game theory, perhaps with an SNA
perspective. For example, develop a game-matrix for each community
based on their alters at some depth; that is, for a 1-depth game, have
a d-dimensional game matrix which has as it's players all d (for
degree) connections the community has; for a 2-depth game include also
in the matrix all those communities who are at a distance of 2 from
this community etc.

What other ideas do people have?

-Nick Guenther

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