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Tag: Network Structures

Building ecosystems
Blogs

Building Ecosystems for Social Impact: 6 Lessons From the Tech Sector

The concept of ecosystem thinking and strategies continues to spread among social impact professionals. As such, it’s helpful to revisit the roots of this exciting new way of thinking. While there are differences between for-profit and non-profit approaches toward ecosystem-building strategies, there are also many

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Hub and Spoke Networks
Blogs

What is a Hub-and-Spoke Network: 9 Tips, Benefits & Limitations

Network science offers powerful insights into how organizations can work together to address intricate social and environmental issues. One particularly powerful structure is the hub-and-spoke network model. Often used in contexts ranging from transportation to communication systems, this model can also be applied in an

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effective network management
Infographics

5 Critical Tasks for Effective Network Management

Managing a network of community partners is no easy task. Unlike typical hierarchical organizations, a network is horizontal with few formal mechanisms for accountability through control. Network leaders have to rely on more abstract ideas like trust and mission alignment to keep their partners accountable,

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Organizational Network Structures
Infographics

Organizational Network Structures: 6 Common Examples

There are many different ways to structure a network… for example, in a decentralized structure, everyone in a network can be connected to everyone else, while in a centralized structure, everyone connects to a single, central entity. Each of these organizational network structures has its

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Closed Vs Open Networks
Blogs

Closed Vs Open Networks: When is Each Most Effective?

In network theory, a major focus of study is on the relative ‘openness’ of a network, and its relationship with network effectiveness. Specifically, people wonder whether the ideal is closed vs open networks. Coleman (1988) introduced a theory that claims tighter, densely interconnected, ‘closed’ networks

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Structural Holes and Networks
Publications

Structural Holes and Networks

The theory of structural holes and networks suggests that intentionally leaving gaps between members of a network provides certain key advantages. Tightly interconnected networks are full of redundant information – you don’t necessarily need to actively work with everything in a coalition to fully leverage

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Publications

The Strength of Weak Ties

The Strength of Weak Ties was one of the most important network science theories in existence. In 1973, Mark Granovetter wrote his landmark paper studying how people get jobs through their personal networks. Contrary to expectations, Mark found that people typically get new jobs through

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Publications

Implications of Network Structure on Public Health Collaboratives

Interorganizational collaboration is an essential function of public health agencies. These partnerships form social networks that involve diverse types of partners and varying levels of interaction. Such collaborations are widely accepted and encouraged, yet very little comparative research exists on how public health partnerships develop

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Click one of the links below to download a free resource to strengthen your community partnerships, collaborative network, and strategic ecosystem. 

Network Leadership Guide

Advice for building, managing, and assessing cross-sector networks or coalitions of partners.

Ecosystem Mapping Template

A template to map the connections and interactions between key stakeholders in your community.

Network Strategy Planner

A worksheet and guide to help you think through and develop your network or ecosystem strategy.

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