Network design - Berthod - HRN

8 important questions on Network design - Berthod - HRN

What is the key take away of Berthod's article?

The HRO's balance between the governance modes depending on the type of crisis/type of situation. They switch between hierarchical and more supportive/participative modes of governance.

What is the main critique of Berthod on Provan & Kenis?

The main critique is that Berthod argues he types of network organizations are hybrid and not static as PK discuss. Berthod argues the types evolve over time.

HRO is developed in the 80's as counter movement about system failure. What is meant by normal accident theory?

Complex systems do not always fail: people develop strategies to overcome disasters.
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The article of Berthod is about the role of organizational networks and how they're assessed by performance management, network effectiveness and accountability. They discuss reliability of the network. What is this?

Reliability is the ability of an organization to adapt and contain incidents in course of its operations. Reliability has 5 dimensions, these are the 5 HRO principles:
1. Pre-occupation with failure
2. Reluctance to simplify
3. General sensitivity to operation
4. Commitment to resilience
5. Deference to expertise

Berthod distinguishes wo modes of hybrid governance: the supportive mode and the assertive mode. What's the difference?

The supportive mode includes participative decision structure, in which the responsibility is rotated. Informal control and experience-based legitimacy.

The assertive mode includes participatory consulting structure, in which the decision structure is more centralized. There is more formal control via operative legitimacy.

What is the key take away regarding the two governance modes in the article of Berthod?

The key take away is that when a crisis occurs, the network organization tend to be more supportive in the early stages of the process, and more hierarchical in the action stage. So, the coordination in the network is changed based on the problem that one is facing.

In the article Berthod distinguishes between Layering and switching. What's the difference?

Layering is the informal process in which actors combine features f the three types of network organizations as discussed by PK to move towards highly hybrid governance. This fits when the activities are more stable.


Switching is the process that a network temporarily switches towards an assertive mode when executing activities, including hierarchical control, and then, after the tasks are executed, the organization goes back to layering.

Elaborate on the propositions of Berthod (this is related to his way of thinking)

1. He argues networks combine types of network organizations as discussed by Provan and Kenis. This evolves over time.
2. HRN is dynamic: moving between switching and layering.
3. Trust is important for HRN to successfully move between switching and layering.
4. The organization who is held accountable switches between the modes supportive and assertive.
5. Combining layering and switching is important to achieve reliability.
6. Combining the modes: supportive and assertive is important to deal with the tensions as discussed by PK: efficiency vs inclusiveness, flexibility vs stability and internal vs external legitimacy.

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