Structure, time and effectiveness: An integrative review for resilient interorganizational networks in post-disaster recovery

This paper examines the characteristics of interorganizational networks in post-disaster recovery, focusing on network governance, evolution and effectiveness. By bringing together the collaborative resilience framework and the theory of interorganizational network governance, this study provides novel insights: network governance explains how structural conditions and coordination arrangements shape effectiveness, while collaborative resilience captures the adaptive mechanisms that allow networks to sustain collaboration over long-term recovery. A keyword search was conducted in major databases including Scopus, EBSCOhost and Web of Science. After screening titles, abstracts and full texts based on predefined criteria, 17 studies were included. An inductive–deductive coding scheme informed the thematic analysis, identifying three main patterns. First, post-disaster recovery networks are characterized by asymmetries in resources and legitimacy, which shape coordination and decision-making processes. Second, recovery networks show a pattern of decentralization which can lead to coordination challenges and risk of network fragmentation. Third, different governance forms are associated with different effectiveness outcomes, depending on the composition of the network and the network's goal in recovery. Overall, the review shows that post-disaster recovery is shaped by a tension between governance structures and the relational conditions required for collaborative resilience, as no single governance form simultaneously satisfies all the characteristics.