Implementation Structures: A New Unit of Administrative Analysis

This article argues that a multiorganizational unit of analysis, an implementation structure, should be used when describing and evaluating the implementation and administration of programmes. Programmes are implemented by clusters of parts of public and private organizations. An implementation structure is the administrative entity which programme implementors use for accomplishing objectives within programmes. An organizationally rooted analy sis is therefore inadequate to rationalize the activities surrounding programme imple mentation. This article defines implementation structures and argues the advantage of using a multiorganizational analytic perspective over the perspective of single organizations.