This document discusses intrasectoral cooperation as a strategy for managing organizational integrity. It explores how organizations in the same sector cooperate and examines the benefits of integrity networks. The theoretical framework draws from institutional theory and cultural theory. Some examples of integrity networks are given, including informal knowledge sharing between ministries, formal capacity building between municipalities, and working groups in the water board sector. While private sector cooperation can be challenging due to competition, some integrity networks have emerged for industries like corporate ethics, building/real estate, finance, and healthcare. The research method involves interviews and a qualitative, exploratory cross-case analysis to identify patterns and categories in integrity network approaches.
3. Cooperation
• Do organizations in the same sector cooperate
as a strategy to manage integrity?
– do they?
– how?
– to what extent?
– differences/ similarities/ patterns ?
– what works, what hurts, design criteria?
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 3
4. Relevancy…
• Exploring integrity cooperation approaches
provides insight into:
• critical elements & conditions that constitute effective
integrity networks
• how existing networks can be improved
• how new ones should be created
• Why are integrity networks valuable anyway?
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 4
5. …& possible advantages
• reducing risk/ improving legitimacy
• increasing internal support
• efficiency & effectivity
• i-officer: new & isolated profession
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 5
6. Theoretical framework
• Institutional theory (Scott, Zucker, Selznick etc.)
– Organizations subjected to external pressures
– Tend to adapt and copy as a survival strategy
– But also cooperate to influence external actors/ forces
• Cultural theory (Douglas, Wildavsky, Jenkins-Smith)
– How do actors inter relate/ cooperate
• formal/ informal
• hierarchic/ egalitarian
• heteronomity/ autonomy
• uniformity/ differentiation
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 6
8. Public sector
• Ministries
– Network: informal exchange of knowledge
– Covenant: formal exchange of capacity
• Municipalities
– Satellite model: ‘big brother’ assistance
– Regional network: municipalities & province
• Water boards
– Working group: policy and toolkit
– Constituting exchange platform
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 8
9. Private sector…not as easy
• larger/ more diverse
• compliance/ broader concept
• ‘running it on their own’
– competition
– vulnerability
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10. Private sector
• Corporate ethics network:
– officers
• Building/ real estate
– trade associations
• Financial sector
– insurance/ banking
• Health care
– new initiative
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 10
11. Method
• Interviews:
– partly based on theory
– field knowledge/ webb-search/snowball sampling
• Qualitative, explorative research
• Assembling data: ‘Mega matrix’
• Cross-case analysis: patterns/ categories
• Inductive (bottom-up) approach
A. Hoekstra BIOS/RSM 11