Casting a Larger Net: Determinants of Managerial Networking in Public Organizations

Managerial networking is an important part of public management. Research has forcefully demonstrated how this aspect of management directly and indirectly is related to organizational outcomes. Much less is known, however, about the determinants of managerial networking. This is especially true with regards to individual-level explanations. This paper addresses this important gap and proposes a composite model of managerial networking as formed by three sets of factors: personal, job-related, and organizational. On this background a set of hypotheses are developed and tested in a study of top-tier managers in Danish municipalities. Results suggest that managers engage in two different types of external networking, and that the amount of networking behavior is determined in a complex interplay of the three sets of explanatory factors. Contributions to existing research are discussed.