<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Organizations have leeway in how much they employ their network relations to the benefit of their clients. When do they do so more rather than less? Relying on research on trust and knowledge absorption, the authors suggest that providers’ network relations generate better outcomes for their clients when these relations are concentrated in a limited, exclusive set of partners. The authors argue that providers’ relational exclusivity benefits clients because it facilitates the awareness and use of partners’ complementary client service capabilities. An analysis of a regional network of patient referrals among 110 hospitals supported this argument. The study highlights the role of interorganizational partnership networks in activating client service capabilities and stimulates further inquiry into providers’ network features that benefit the users of their services.</p></abstract>

Organizations have leeway in how much they employ their network relations to the benefit of their clients. When do they do so more rather than less? Relying on research on trust and knowledge absorption, the authors suggest that providers’ network relations generate better outcomes for their clients when these relations are concentrated in a limited, exclusive set of partners. The authors argue that providers’ relational exclusivity benefits clients because it facilitates the awareness and use of partners’ complementary client service capabilities. An analysis of a regional network of patient referrals among 110 hospitals supported this argument. The study highlights the role of interorganizational partnership networks in activating client service capabilities and stimulates further inquiry into providers’ network features that benefit the users of their services.

Clients’ outcomes from providers’ networks: the role of relational exclusivity and complementary capabilities

Connections

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Organizations have leeway in how much they employ their network relations to the benefit of their clients. When do they do so more rather than less? Relying on...

Clients’ outcomes from providers’ networks: the role of relational exclusivity and complementary capabilities

Published Online: Apr 27, 2020

Page range: 31 - 46

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/connections-2019.011

Keywords
Interorganizational networks, Client benefits, Health care

© 2020 Denis Trapido et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Clients’ outcomes from providers’ networks: the role of relational exclusivity and complementary capabilities

Published Online: Apr 27, 2020

Page range: 31 - 46

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/connections-2019.011

KeywordsInterorganizational networks, Client benefits, Health care

© 2020 Denis Trapido et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Interorganizational networks, Client benefits, Health care