Management in Networks

Getting what you want – even if you are the boss – isn’t always easy. Almost every organization, big or small, works among a network of competing interests. Whether it’s governments pushing through policies, companies trying to increase profits, or even families deciding where to move house, rarely can decisions be made in isolation from competing interests both within the organization and outside it.

In this accessible and straightforward account, Hans de Bruijn and Ernst ten Heuvelhof cast light on multi-stakeholder decision-making. Using plain language, they reveal the nuts and bolts of decision-making within the numerous dilemmas and tensions at work. Drawing on a diverse range of illustrative examples throughout, their perceptive analysis examines how different interests can either support or block change, and the strategies available for managing a variety of stakeholders.

The second edition of Management in Networks incorporates a wider spread of international cases, a new chapter giving an overview of different network types, and a new chapter looking at digital governance and the impact of big data on networks.

This insightful text is invaluable reading for students of management and organizational studies, plus practitioners – or actors – operating in a range of contexts.

Hans de Bruijn is Professor of Organization and Management at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. His research is on networked, multi-actor governance, both between and within organizations.

Ernst ten Heuvelhof is Professor of Public Administration at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. His research focuses on decision-making by actors – both public and private – who operate in networks and have diverse interests.