Professional Associations as Networks: How Informal Networking Characterizes Inter-Agency Collaboration from a Social Psychology Perspective

• Published date: 01 November 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00953997241264167
• Author: Zheng Yang
• Date: 01 November 2024

https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997241264167

Administration & Society

2024, Vol. 56(9-10) 1175 –1211

© The Author(s) 2024

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DOI: 10.1177/00953997241264167

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Article

Professional Associations

as Networks: How

Informal Networking

Characterizes Inter-

Agency Collaboration

from a Social Psychology

Perspective

Zheng Yang1

Abstract

Relatively little empirical and theoretical research in public management

explores the roles of professional associations in collaborative governance

and inter-governmental relationships. Drawing on network perspectives and

social psychology literature, this study aims to bridge the gap by examining

the case of the Los Angeles County Management Council (LACMC) and

theorizing about the characteristics of inter-agency collaboration that is

derived from local professional associations. Results from the qualitative

analysis reveal five key themes: relational comfort and affect-based trust,

autonomy and spontaneity in knowledge sharing, shared identity and group

cohesion, enhanced system awareness, and informal accountability.

Keywords

professional associations, inter-agency collaboration, informal networking,

collaborative governance.

1California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, USA

Corresponding Author:

Zheng Yang, Department of Public Administration, College of Business Administration and

Public Policy, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria Street Carson, CA

90747-0001, USA.

Email: zyang@csudh.edu

1264167AAS0010.1177/00953997241264167Administration & SocietyYang

research-article2024

1176 Administration & Society 56(9-10)

Introduction

Professional associations are widely utilized in the public sector to provide

training and career development, increase employees’ skills and knowledge,

strengthen ethical guidance and codes of conduct, and facilitate professional

networking (Haynes & Gazley, 2011; Haynes & Samuel, 2006). In local gov-

ernments and metropolitan areas in the United States, local professional asso-

ciations of public managers serve as inter-personal networks where

information and other resources can flow across diverse individuals, organi-

zations, and jurisdictions (Binz-Scharf et al., 2012; Haynes & Gazley, 2011;

Liao & Ma, 2019). In public administration research, there is a notable gap in

documenting, understanding, and conceptualizing the roles of professional

associations and the interpersonal and interorganizational relationships that

emerge from them (Haynes & Gazley, 2011; Liao & Ma, 2019; Tschirhart,

2006; Tschirhart & Gazley, 2014).

Recent studies of managerial networking and network governance have

advanced our understanding of how professional associations in public admin-

istration may serve as platforms for interpersonal networking among public

employees, facilitating communication, exchange, and collaboration at the

inter-organizational level (Binz-Scharf et al., 2012; De Widt & Panagiotopoulos,

2018; Isett et al., 2011; Liao & Ma, 2019; Siciliano, 2015). Although collabo-

ration scholars often assume links between interpersonal interactions and

inter-organizational relationships, few public administration studies delve into

the mechanisms behind these connections, especially in the realm of profes-

sional associations of public employees. The significant scholarly gap in

examining professional associations and the inter-agency partnerships that

they foster has hindered both the theoretical development of professional

association networks and the effective practices of managing, organizing, and

leveraging these associations in public administration to facilitate inter-gov-

ernmental collaboration.

One critical yet underexplored aspect of research on professional asso-

ciation is the relationship between professional associations and inter-

agency collaboration in local governments. Although existing literature

frequently underscores the roles of informal and interpersonal networks in

nurturing trust and spawning new collaborations (Binz-Scharf et al., 2012;

De Widt & Panagiotopoulos, 2018; Isett et al., 2011; Kapucu et al., 2017),

scant research has delved specifically into professional associations as

interpersonal networks in which inter-agency relationships and partner-

ships may be cultivated. Moreover, scholarship that examines the forms

and/or characteristics of inter-agency collaboration stemming from profes-

sional associations remains notably rare. This is surprising, given the robust

Yang 1177

body of research probing the origins of collaboration and various mecha-

nisms for relationship-building, such as board interlocks, prior partnerships

in structured collaborations, and shared membership in other types of social

groups (Atouba, 2016; Borgatti & Foster, 2003; Gulati & Gargiulo, 1999;

Mizruchi, 1996; Yang & Nowell, 2020).

Comprehending the roles of professional associations in collaborative

governance and the characteristics of collaborations they may foster

enhances our insights into the pathways leading to new collaborations and

successful outcomes. Although prior literature has emphasized how prior

relationships and existing network ties can foster and influence new col-

laborations (Atouba, 2016; Gazley, 2010; Mandell & Steelman, 2003;

Mitchell & Stroup, 2017; Nolte & Boenigk, 2013; Wong & Boh, 2010;

Yang & Nowell, 2020), most studies have been rooted in formal, specific,

or goal-oriented collaborative settings. In contrast, professional associa-

tions are marked by their emphasis on affect-based trust, partner auton-

omy, and a reinforced shared social identity. Their inherent dynamics of

spontaneous, communal, and informal interactions present fertile ground

to deepen our understanding of how trust and collaboration may be culti-

vated between local agencies in generalized exchange settings, where the

return of reciprocity is not expected immediately from direct relationships,

but is anticipated in broader, circular forms (Bearman, 1997; Whitham,

2018). Moreover, exploring this realm offers valuable opportunities to

understand the distinctive roles of informal networks, illuminating how

interpersonal dynamics in informal social contexts may translate to the

characteristics and forms of inter-agency collaboration that may diverge

from those coming from formal networks (Binz-Scharf et al., 2012; De

Widt & Panagiotopoulos, 2018; Isett et al., 2011; Kapucu et al., 2017; Ki

et al., 2020; Liao & Ma, 2019).

This study aims to contribute to the collaborative governance literature

by exploring and conceptualizing the characteristics of inter-agency col-

laborations in local governments that emerge from professional associa-

tions of public employees. More specifically, the study is guided by two

research questions: (1) Do professional associations of public employees

foster inter-agency collaboration? If so, what are the predominant forms of

such collaboration? (2) What key characteristics define inter-agency col-

laborative partnerships in local governments that are derived from profes-

sional associations of public employees? Drawing on social psychology

theories – in particular, Affective Events, Self-Determination, and Social

Identity theories-- and leveraging a case study design, the analysis yields

twelve propositions regarding the characteristics of inter-agency collab-

orative partnerships emerging from professional associations, seeking to