Network professionalism: the interplay between professional work and network viability
Abstract as pdf
Corresponding Author:
Jurriaan Jacobs
Program manager crisis management at TNO Netherlands
jurriaanjacobs4@gmail.com
Author(s):
An Verelst1 and Michel Duckers2
1Research At Gent University, An.Verelst@Ugent.Be, BEL
2Professor In Crisis, Safety And Health At Groningen University, M.Duckers@Nivel.Nl, NLD
Background. Increasingly public professionals are working to deliver services while simultaneously working on network viability, i.e. a network’s ability to exist over a longer period of time. Networks are considered to be an appropriate response to complex problems, such as disaster management and terrorism. Networks are strongly emphasized in public governance. An understanding of how this interplay between networks and professionals influence network viability unfortunately remains obscure and is hardly theorized.
Objective. This research aims at broadening our understanding of the interplay between public professionals and network viability. We answer the question how do public professionals work on service delivery while simultaneously work on network viability.
Method. A comparative case study was conducted in order to draw lessons from the organization of the psychosocial response after terrorist attacks in France, the United Kingdom, Norway and Belgium. Four expert focus groups with (high level) crisis managers, researchers, policy makers and health professionals involved in the psychosocial response to terrorism were organized.
Results. We identified key elements on how professionals provide services in networks, while simultaneously working on network viability. Professionals show specific behaviours that shape network structure. They actively engage in a process of positioning themselves. At the same time network structure prescribes how professionals behave and how service delivery should look like.
Discussion. This research is one of studies to integrate professionalism with network literature. Central in this is a professional’s ability to position themselves (positioning) in combination with network characteristics to incorporate quality members and improve individual and network outcomes (capacitating).
Focus on human needs: Understanding good and bad practices in public health crises