Managing public sector networked organizations

The authors argue that we are in the age of the networked society. Lying be tween the governance structures of markets and hierarchies, networks have e merged as an organizational form which seeks to confront many of the 'wicke d problems' faced by public and private organizations. While the precise ar chitecture of networks remains vague, much is claimed for them in terms of their potential contribution to adding value and enhancing performance. Thi s article explores the use of networks in the delivery of public services a nd the problems anal issues that arise for their management. Public service managers need to be aware of the costs and benefits of alternative network architectures and how these might be actively! managed. The treatment of p ublic sector networks here is also intended to contribute to the current de bate on 'joined-up' government.