Rethinking multi-organisational network effectiveness from a social complexity perspective

Purpose This investigation explores whether a social complexity perspective on multi-organisational networks, in which structure, culture and agency are regarded as different kinds of emergent entities, can provide new insights into network functioning and effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on Snowden and Stanbridge’s (2004) social complexity concept, Archer’s (1995) morphogenetic/morphostatic explanatory methodology and Mackenzie and Bititci’s (2023) social systems-based model for organisational change to create a theoretical framework that describes how human reflexivity can affect organisational and network effectiveness. A behaviour-based organisational change process, adapted from the organisational performance management literature, is used to present how such a social complexity approach might operate in multi-organisational networks. Findings Understanding organisations and multi-organisational networks as complex adaptive social systems and the role of human reflexivity in shaping emergent organisational and network outcomes leads to new research questions with implications for academe and practice. Practical implications This paper proposes that a behaviour-based intervention process can be applied in a multi-organisational network setting to provide practical tools for researchers and practitioners to explore how structure, culture and agency can impact network effectiveness from a behavioural perspective. Originality/value This paper describes a social complexity lens that introduces a necessary agency perspective to the dominant structural approach taken by most multi-organisational network researchers. It contributes to network theory building and charts the landscape for further development of a social complexity perspective on network effectiveness.