ABSTRACT
The case studies presented in Chapters 2-7 describe in some detail the evolution of the organisational structures of the six development programs. In this chapter, we shall examine these experiences in order to understand the nature of the underlying structural interventions and their interrelationships with the program environments and strategies. In Chapter 8, three important dimensions of structural interventions, namely, structural farms, organisational autonomy, and decentralisation were identified. 1 We propose to analyse the structures of the six programs in terms of each of these dimensions. The highlights of the structural interventions analysed in this chapter are the following:
- a mutual adaptation of the program strategies and structures over time;
- considerable reliance of interorganisational cooperation through network structures rather than on hierarchical control through vertical program structures;
- significant use of multiple sources of lateral influence to make networks effective since direct control is infeasible;
- reduction in the costs of coordination through the use of diverse integrative mechanisms;
- degree of decentralisation that matched the program strategy and the complexity of the environment; and
- moderate level of organisational autonomy that facilitated the orchestration of planning and implementation.
