Interorganizational Network Structures and Diffusion of Information Through a Health System

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11039730
AutoresDeborah E Gibbons (0000-0002-7211-1549, Deborah E. Gibbons is with the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif., autor de correspondencia)
Año2007
Volumen97
Número9
Páginas1684-1692
Fecha de publicación2007-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
EditorialAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2005.063669
PMID17329666
PMCIDPMC1963276
OpenAlexW2040041806
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas9
Referencias citadas23

Objectives. I used computational models to test the relationship between interorganizational network structures and diffusion of moderate- to high-priority health information throughout a system. I examined diffusion effects of mean and variance in organizational partnering tendencies, arrangement of ties among subgroups of the system, and the diffusing organization’s effective network size. Methods. I used agent-based models to simulate local information-sharing processes and observe the outcomes of system-level diffusion. Graphs of diffusion curves demonstrated differences among intergroup structures, and regression models were used to test effects of parameterized and emergent network variables on diffusion. Results. The average tendency of participating organizations to engage in partnerships with other network members influenced diffusion of information, but variance in partnering tendencies had little effect. Fully connected subgroup structures outperformed hierarchical connections among subgroups, and all outperformed group-to-group chains. Introduction of a small proportion of randomness in connections among members of the chain structure improved diffusion without increasing network density. Finally, greater effective size in the diffusing organization’s network increased diffusion of information. Conclusions. Small interventions that build connecting structures among subgroups within a health system can be particularly effective at facilitating natural dissemination of information

Business · Diffusion · Diffusion of innovations · Knowledge management · Multilevel model · Network structure · Randomness · Statistics · Test (biology) · Variance (accounting) · Community Health and Development · Computer Science · Health disparities and outcomes · Healthcare Systems and Technology · Marketing · Mathematics · Psychology · Theoretical Computer Science